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Roland found that a steady horizontal pull was extricating him from 
his dangerous predicament 


(Page 64) 









FLORIDA LADS 

- and - 

FOR KING or CONGRESS 


BY 

WILLIAM PERRY BROWN 

i v 

AUTHOR OF 

“RALPH GRANGER’S FORTUNE,” “VANCE SEVIER,” 
“SEA ISLAND BOYS,” ETC. 

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AKRON, OHIO 

THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING CO. 

NEW YORK 1903 V CHICAGO 
















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Copyright, 1903 

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MADE BY 

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CONTENTS. 


* 

Chaeter. Page . 

I. On Board the Curlew. 7 

II. A Perilous Situation. 14 

III. Roland and Baya Make a Start .... 20 

IV. Jim Baya Meets with an Accident ... 41 

V. Roland Takes a Tramp ........ 51 

VI. Roland Gives Up a Dollar. 62 

VIL Raising the Curlew at Jupiter ..... 75 

VIII. Roly Makes a New Acquaintance ... 87 

IX. The Curlew Out at Sea. 97 

X. A Florida Norther. 109 

XI. Crossing the Bar—Billy's Bear Hunt . . 121 

XII. After the Devil Fish. 130 

XIII. Manatee Zeke Appears. 142 

XIV. Off for the Everglades. 153 

XV. Two Seminoles—Into the Swamps . . . 164 

XVI. In the Everglades—The Pink Curlew . . 176 

XVII. A Separation—A Surprise . 187 

XVIII. In Captivity—Danger Again. 196 

XIX. What Became of the Boys.207 

XX. Nuska Appears.’ 221 

XXI. Together Once More. 232 

XXII. Nuska's Friendly Aid—A Struggle . . . 242 

XXIII. Dragged to the Council House .... 253 

XXIV. Tustenuggee Pronounces Judgment . . . 259 

XXV. The Grand-daughter of Bow Legs .... 270 

XXVI. Home Again . 282 

























* 













4 

/ 







LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


Roland found that a steady horizontal pull was extricating 

him from his dangerous predicament . . Frontispiece 

Another flaw, even more furious, came whipping down 

over the mangroves.94 • 

“Me good Seminole,” he said, tapping his bosom signifi¬ 
cantly .190 


They might have been overtaken by a young girl on horse¬ 
back who galloped from a bylane at a speed that 
caused her nearly to run into a young officer .... 286 









CHAPTER I. 


ON BOARD THE CURLEW. 

The weather had been variable for several 
days. Sudden wind-squalls, interspersed with 
rain, had alternated with treacherous interludes 
of clear skies and milder breezes; but on the 
afternoon when the Curlew emerged from the 
intricate meshes of Jupiter Narrows, there 
seemed to be a promise of something more set¬ 
tled, if equally trying. 

A strong southwest wind had arisen, blowing 
away all clouds but a few sailing rags that 
swept high, though swiftly, over the pine bar¬ 
rens to westward and lost themselves in the 
eastern seaboard, where, beyond a narrow 
coast-line, the Atlantic thundered against the 
sandy ocean shore. 


8 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Between the heavier flaws could be heard the 
surf breaking not more than a mile or two away, 
though hidden from sight by tall mangroves 
and lonely stretches of scrub, reaching from the 
sound to the sand dunes. A few pelicans were 
driving in forked lines against the wind, from 
their sea fishing to their roosting grounds, in 
some bayou-locked island further west. 

As the Curlew left the protection of the man¬ 
groves in the narrows and began to breast the 
sound, with her mainsail double reefed and close 
hauled, the black shadows of the wind on the 
water swept upon her fiercely. 

“Now, Bert,” said Mr. Arrowsmith, “mind 
your eye, my boy. Perhaps Jim or I had better 
hold the mainsheet, in case too hard a flaw 
strikes us. I don’t like this wind one bit.” 

“Pshaw, father! This wind is all right. I, 
can manage it.” 

All of the party were seated upon the weather 
gunwale, except Jim Bay a, the guide, who was 
taking a nap beside the centre-board box, and 


FLORIDA LADS. 


9 


whom no weather nor wilderness peril ever ren¬ 
dered in the least nervons. 

The boat was headed toward the southeast, 
and being very close when on the wind, they 
hoped to make at least two miles on the first 
tack. 

Beside those already mentioned, there were 
Roland Arrowsmith—usually called Roly—a 
year or two younger than his brother Bert, who 
was nearly eighteen, and Billy Keywest, a semi- 
civilized Seminole, of whom more later on. 

The Curlew was a wall-sided, cat-rigged boat, 
twenty feet long, with a half-deck forward and 
a towering spread of mainsail that made Mr. 
Arrowsmith nervous whenever the wind began 
to blow hard; and Jim Baya was slow about 
putting in a reef. 

Two tacks had been made and the older man 
was beginning to congratulate himself on the 
probability of their reaching Jupiter lighthouse 
before night, when an event occurred that shat¬ 
tered his hopefulness in a most disastrous man¬ 
ner. 


10 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Their last long stretch had carried them well 
within a cove on the eastern side of the sound. 
Here the tall mangroves, everywhere lining the 
shore, rendered the flaws peculiarly exasper¬ 
ating. 

Roly was already loosening the sheet from its 
cleet to better resist their attacks, while Bert 
had sung out, as if on shipboard: 

“Make ready to go about !’ 5 

Mr. Arrowsmith ducked his head to allow the 
boom to pass, as the young man pushed his tiller 
smartly to leeward. 

At that juncture a fierce puff struck the sail 
squarely from the west, causing the Curlew to 
lean sharply and also deadening her headway. 
This would have caused no damage by itself, 
but, as it happened, another flaw, even more 
furious, came whipping down over the man¬ 
groves almost from the northeast. 

Bert saw it as it struck the water not far 
away, and rushed toward the now quivering 
mainsail. In an instant he apprehended the na¬ 
ture of the catastrophe with which they were 


FLORIDA LADS. 


11 


menaced, and called out to Roland: 

‘ 4 Haul in on the slack of that sheet! Quick, 
or we are over!’ ’ 

But Roly somehow got the line entangled 
about his feet, as he tried frantically to obey. 

Baya, waking up, peered over the side, just 
in time to see what the danger was without be¬ 
ing able to do anything to avert it. 

Then the second flaw, striking the mainsail 
with the force of a giant, swung it across the 
boat, knocking off Mr. Arrowsmith’s hat. 

The sheet tautened suddenly, dragging Roly 
from his feet, and the Curlew careened more 
violently than before, though to the opposite 
side. 

“Holawagus!” shouted Billy Keywest, fairly 
shocked out of his usual aboriginal apathy. 
“Boat—turn over!” 

And turn over the Curlew did, gracefully hut 
irresistibly, though with a gradual motion that 
permitted the five occupants to climb out on her 
upturned side as she sunk, gurgling, to the mud- 
bottom of the sound. 


12 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“Boys!” said their father, as he clambered 
over. “We must swim for it, if she sinks en¬ 
tirely. ’ ’ 

They glanced at the mangroves, which had 
seemed so near, but which now appeared to be 
so very remote as they crawled upward from 
the water as it surged into the boat. 

But the Curlew did not sink, for a very simple 
reason. It so chanced that the sound was suffi¬ 
ciently shallow to permit the upper side of the 
sailboat to remain about a foot out of the water 
when her lower side rested on the bottom. 

The point of the long mast, burying itself in 
the mud, was firmly embedded there by the 
force of the waves acting against the Curlew’s 
hull. 

There- was just room for the party to rest on 
the unsubmerged side by seating themselves 
close together. Their feet dangled in the water. 
It was a precarious, uncomfortable situation, 
yet better than if they had been deprived en¬ 
tirely of all support but their own ability to 
keep afloat until they could get ashore. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


13 


“Well,” said Roly, whom no disaster could 
long keep down, 4 ‘we’re in a nice pickle, I must 
say! ’ 9 

“How deep do you suppose the water is 
here?” asked Mr. Arrowsmith, who could not 
swim, notwithstanding his previous adjuration 
to the others. 

“About eight feet,” replied Baya, looking up 
from his occupation of securing such of their 
things as came to the surface. 

“Why, how can you tell?” said Bert, who 
was lashing their overturned camp-chest with 
the end of the main sheet. 

“The Curlew—she is nine feet wide. One foot 
is still out of the water. See?” 

Jim Baya, being a Minorcan from the neigh¬ 
borhood of St. Augustine, was comfortably 
sparing of superfluous English in his conversa¬ 
tional efforts, though voluble enough in his own 
“dago lingo,” as Roly termed the hybrid lan¬ 
guage spoken to each other among these 
swarthy descendants of former emigrants from 
the Mediterranean island of Minorca. 


14 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Though the wind Flew disgustingly fresh, the 
November sun shone warmly and they were not 
uncomfortably cool. The water was warm, and 
while the boys thought hazily of sharks, their 
position was not so very perilous. 

Night was two hours away, and the man¬ 
groves on the eastern shore not over five hun¬ 
dred yards oft. They secured their bag of bed¬ 
ding, a few cans of preserved fruits and some 
hard bread that floated from the overturned 
chest; also a pair of oars and their coats were 
saved, though their guns, traps, and a fine set 
of taxidermist tools lay wedged under the lower 
gunwale of the boat. 

While Baya, assisted by Billy Keywest, loos¬ 
ened the halyards and furled the wet sails after 
a fashion, the two lads experimented upon the 
depth of water toward the mangroves. But 
Baya shook his head. 

“No good to go there,” he said. “Water 
deep clear to the mangroves up. Soft mud all 
the way. Half a mile through the mangroves 
to the beach. Nobody live over there.” 


FLORIDA LADS. 


15 


Bay a was right. These mangrove thickets 
spring directly ont of miry ooze, where there 
is two or more feet of water at low tide, and 
.are impenetrable almost, except to squirrels or 
other tree-climbing aniinals. Clouds of raven¬ 
ous mosquitoes haunt them, even amid a gale of 
wind, while the alligator, the water moccasin, 
and other forbidding creatures, make their net¬ 
work of gloomy roots and branches an abiding 
place. 

There was a life-saving station twenty miles 
north up the coast, hut nothing human to the 
south until Jupiter light is reached, some fifteen 
miles away. Even the lighthouse, however, was 
not on the beach side of the sound, but on a 
high sand-mound to the west, where the Locka- 
hachee River straggles out of the everglades 
through a maze of swamps and dismal hum¬ 
mocks. 

“Well, boys,” said Mr. Arrowsmith, holding 
his long legs as much out of the water as he 
could, “what are we to do? We cannot stay 
here all night.” 


16 


FLORIDA LADS. 


‘ ‘ Incali! ’ ’ exclaimed Billy Key west, suddenly 
rising and pointing south as he balanced himself 
on a very narrow portion of the Curlew’s side. 
44 Boat yonder!” 

To the west the sound stretched beyond the 
cove for nearly a mile. In the south was an 
uninterrupted expanse of water as far as the 
eye could reach, and with an average width of 
from a mile to a mile and a half. Diagonally 
across this the southwest wind was still sweep¬ 
ing in angry puffs. To seaward an ominous 
hank of slate-covered clouds was slowly bulging 
upward out of the hidden ocean. 

“Where is your boat, Billy!” wondered Bert, 
shading his eyes with one hand. “That speck 
looks like a pelican on an oyster bar.” 

“Boat,” insisted Billy, calmly reseating him¬ 
self. 11 See him move when he go about. ’ ’ 

“Then they must he going the other way,” 
remarked Roland. “Suppose we all holler.” 

And “holler” they did, unitedly, until they 
grew hoarse—that is, all except Billy, who 
smiled with good natured contempt on such use- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


17 


less expenditure of lung-power. 

“No good!” said he, gutturally, as the faint 
white speck, that barely showed beneath the 
sun’s glare, forged slowly across the sound, sev¬ 
eral miles below them, toward the eastern shore. 
“Wind wrong—can’t hear. White man ears no 
very good, anyhow.” 

Billy seemed to be right, for the distant sail 
kept on its course, and they presently desisted. 

The Seminole drew forth a small pocket hand¬ 
glass and began to rearrange his disheveled hair 
and attire. 

Bert laughed at this, for the situation was 
hardly conducive to thoughts of one’s personal 
appearance. But Billy was an oddity, both to 
the remnant of his own tribe as well as the white 
natives. 

A year or two before he had run away from 
his people to Keywest, assumed pale face attire, 
and lived among his adopted brethren both 
there and at Tampa, thereby greatly scandaliz¬ 
ing his relatives at home, who at length kid¬ 
naped him when out with a hunting party. 





18 


FLORIDA LADS. 


At a formal trial lie was ostracized from his 
people for a stated time, and ordered to reside 
by himself on a secluded island hummock in 
the everglades. 

After three months of hermit life he had re¬ 
belled against his sentence by again seeking for¬ 
bidden white society in the capacity of guide, 
hunter, or any other position wherein his ser¬ 
vices might prove remunerative. 

His dudish proclivities remained, and his 
garb and manner were a rather comical combi¬ 
nation to his present employers. He wore the 
long hair of a Seminole beneath the derby hat 
of civilization. He used paint on occasions of 
ceremony, but he eschewed leggings and mocca¬ 
sins. He wore a sack coat over his shirtless 
body, and was savagely proud of his tattooing, 
while his brown duck trousers were tucked into 
a pair of the finest boots he could procure for 
love or money. 

Mr. Arrowsmith again remarked that some¬ 
thing ought to be done, and Bert suggested that 
himself and Bay a make their way to the man- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


19 


groves and seek the beach. 

“We can walk down opposite Jupiter. Per¬ 
haps there may be campers at the inlet. If not, 
we can call across to the people of the light¬ 
house. If the wind holds, we might be back 
here in a boat by midnight. What do you say, 
Jim?” 


CHAPTER II. 

A PERILOUS SITUATION. 

The Minorcan did not seem to think much of 
Bert Arrowsmith’s proposal. He looked at the 
bank of clonds in the east, then seemed to study 
the strength of the wind. 

“We would have to swim almost to the man¬ 
groves,^ he commented. “It would take us un¬ 
til after dark to get through them. Might not 
get through them, after all. Mud very soft— 
you couldn’t hold out.” 

“I can hold out if you can,” replied Bert, 
scornfully. “Try me and see.” 

“No use. Mosquito too bad—alligator too 
bad,” objected Billy Keywest, who was combing 
out his long hair, hand-glass in hand, and with 

his derby, somewhat battered, under his arm. 

-20- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


21 


“Wait here till the wind die out. Wind go 
down by-un ’-by. ’ ’ 

“But suppose the wind does not die out. 
Looks to me as if we were going to have another 
gale. This sound kicks up a pretty good sea, as 
it is.” 

Things did‘seem as if Bert was right. The 
weather looked ominous. The waves created by 
the wind dashed against the Curlew with a force 
that rendered their perch uncomfortable as well 
as precarious. A gale and a rising tide might 
wash them off altogether. Yet Billy and the 
guide remained firm in their opinion and coun¬ 
seled patience. 

To counteract the chill of the wind, they 
wrapped themselves in their wet blankets and 
munched away at their hard bread. Jim opened 
a can of Chicago beef and one of peaches. The 
food benefited them, especially Mr. Arrowsmith, 
who was not very rugged in body. 

“Now if we only had some drinking water,” 
said Roly, longingly. “Billy, see here! What 
is that you are doing?” 


22 


FLORIDA LADS. 


In finishing his toilet the young Seminole had 
unstopped an old army canteen which he car¬ 
ried, and seemed to be wetting his shining hair 
with the contents. Roland snatched it from 
Billy, and applied his nose to the mouth. 

i Focoanut milk, isn’t it, Billy ?” he queried. 

Yell. Good for hair. What—you drink um 
sol” 

To Billy’s dismay, Roly took several swal¬ 
lows, then passed it to the others, saying as he 
did so: 

I am ashamed of you, Billy. That is about 
as good as water. This is no time to waste such 
refreshing stuff on your hair.” 

Billy grinned good-naturedly, but sighed as 
he received back the nearly empty canteen. 

The water of the sound, being too brackish 
to drink, could afford their thirst no relief, 
therefore the cool milk of the cocoanut was a 
great comfort. 

To their delight, they saw, as the sun went 
down, that their guides were probably right as 
regarded the weather. The southwest wind 


FLORIDA LADS. 


23 


gradually grew lighter, though it was nearly 
midnight before it died out entirely, while the 
angry bank of clouds in the east melted into in¬ 
visibility as the stars came out. 

There was a promise of a clear and quiet 
night, which, to the Arrowsmiths, at least, was 
an immense source of relief. With the melting 
of the brief twilight, however, the air grew 
cooler, more than counterbalancing the waning 
chill of the dying breeze. 

The lower portion of their legs, being sub¬ 
merged, were warm enough, but their bodies 
grew chilly, despite the blankets. The two 
guides did not seem to mind this much, probably 
because they were inured to exposure. 

Mr. Arrowsmith’s teeth chattered as he 
talked, and he wished himself more than once 
at his comfortable fireside in his home on the 
lower St. Johns. The boys, being younger, 
merely wished that they were all ashore by a 
good camp-fire. 

“Will we have to remain here until morn¬ 
ing V 9 asked Mr. Arrowsmith, of Baya, who was 


24 


FLORIDA LADS. 


engaged in lashing the two oars and the loos¬ 
ened boom of the sail to the side of the empty 
chest. 

“Don’t know. Depends on the wind and how 
dark it gets. Some of us must get ashore over 
there while the water is smooth.’’ 

Jim pointed westward, where the bank of the 
sound was now barely distinguishable from the 
deepening haze that succeeded the sunset. 

“How are we going to get there, Bayal” said 
Bert. 4 4 Swim ? ’ ’ 

44 Mebbe. Part swim, part float, part pad¬ 
dle. ’ 9 

It was Billy who replied. He was assisting 
the Minorcan in lashing the queer-looking raft, 
or whatever it was they were putting together. 

When the affair was completed, it appeared 
very frail and one-sided, when viewed in the 
light of holding up even one of the capsized 
party. But, such as it was, Bay a seemed satis¬ 
fied with it, as he placed inside the chest a 
couple of loosened thwarts that had floated from 
the boat. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


25 


Billy had secured a tin wash-basin from the 
locker in the Curlew’s stern, and this was also 
placed beside the thwarts. Then the whole 
thing was fastened to a cleat with the end of one 
of the lashings, and there was nothing more 
to do but wait. 

As no moon appeared, the dim light from the 
stars gave but a very vague view of objects at 
any distance. The shore line on either side grew 
faint, all irregularities being lost in the obscur¬ 
ity. 

A louder sound of night-birds from the man¬ 
groves only denoted their nearness; as to the 
west, hardly any sound whatever could be heard 
except the faint croaking of frogs from the 
marshes near the narrows. 

The rumble of breakers on the beach was 
more audible than by daylight, but the sound 
was dreary and despairing. Little plashes along 
the water-line of the boat’s bottom gave token 
that the breeze was still driving the masthead 
further into the soft ooze beneath. 

Billy had gone down feet foremost earlier in 


26 


FLORIDA LADS. 


the evening, and reported that the lower gun¬ 
wale was firmly imbedded in the mud. There 
was no possible chance of drifting. The inside 
tide from Jupiter Inlet rose here but a few 
inches. No perceptible difference in the depth 
of water was noticed. 

To while away the weary hours the two 
guides told sundry hunting stories, after the 
manner of their kind. Billy clipped his sen¬ 
tences, Indian-fashion, while the Minorcan 
spoke scarcely less sententiously, though in a 
different way. 

Later on they all grew very tired. Roly went 
to sleep with his head on Bert’s shoulder, as he 
sat wedged in between his brother and Billy 
Keywest. 

Mr. Arrowsmith, who was on one end of the 
line, also nodded as he hung to Baya’s arm to 
keep himself from being crowded down the 
curving side of the boat where it sloped away 
towards the submerged bow. 

Though the wind died, a gentle breathing, as 
it were, out of the west came, filled with the chill 


FLORIDA LADS. 


27 


of the advancing night, rendering their be¬ 
numbed and aching frames yet more uncomfort¬ 
able. Their fixed and cramped attitudes be¬ 
came almost unendurable at times, yet one could 
not change his position without endangering 
the security of the others. Once, Billy, during 
a slumberous collapse, fell into the water; but 
he was back again in a minute, grumbling to 
himself in his native tongue. 

Occasionally they had to bail out the big 
chest, which leaked considerably. 

All at once, a short, resonant snort, like a lo¬ 
comotive’s slow, starting puffs, burst from the 
water not far away. It was followed by a huge, 
sullen plunge. Other similar noises succeeded. 

“Porpus!” said Billy. “Tide coming in.” 

A drove of these sportive creatures made 
things lively around them for awhile, but their 
blowings grew more and more remote as they 
sought the coves in the narrows for mullet. 
Presently a school of these latter surrounded 
the boat. They were playful little fellows, 
jumping by scores, their white sides gleaming 


28 


FLORIDA LADS. 


in the starlight. They could feel them working 
about their feet, and one unlucky one landed 
squarely inside the provision chest. 

“I reckon we are not entirely out of fresh fish 
now,” said Bert. “Wish I had a way to fry 
that fellow.” 

It was a fine fish, perhaps a foot long, that 
flopped vigorously on finding how it had thus 
effectually imprisoned itself. 

After midnight Bava scanned the surface of 
the water and inspected the sky. He listened 
understanding^ to the sound of the surf; then 
he consulted in a low tone with Billy Key west. 

“Whicher one of you boys is the best swim¬ 
mer ! ” he asked, turning to the others from be¬ 
hind their backs. 

Both lads instantly announced their accom¬ 
plishments in that line with youthful pride. 

Roland finally admitted: 

4 4 Bert may be a little the fastest stroke, but I 
just know I can outlast him. Don’t you remem¬ 
ber, Bert, when we swam the Saint Sebastian 
last spring!” 


FLORIDA LADS. 


29 


“Oh, I’d have pulled through all right if I 
hadn’t taken a cramp. A fellow can’t help that 
sort of thing.” 

“Won’t do to take cramp midway of this 
river,” said Jim. “I believe Mr. Roland is the 
lightest, anyhow. We don’t want any more 
weight along than can be helped, do we! ” 
“What is it you intend doing, Baya?” de¬ 
manded Mr. Arrowsmith. “Nothing danger¬ 
ous, I hope.” 


CHAPTER III. 

ROLAND AND BAYA MAKE A START. 

Jim shifted his position carefully, so as to ex¬ 
plain things more at ease. 

“We’ve got to get ashore, ain’t we!” 

When the others had acknowledged the force 
of this premise, he continued: 

“We can’t do any good east,” jerking his 
thumb toward the mangroves. “Well, what 
then! Go west—go west! How we go west! 
Too far to swim, eh!” 

The two hoys asserted that they were equal 
to a mile on a straight course in the water; hut 
Jim shook his head. 

“Perhaps you may make it. I not say no. 
You know the way to Jupiter when you get 
there!” 


- 30 - 


FLORIDA LADS. 


31 


No, they did not. 

Through that wilderness of scrub only a 
guide could penetrate successfully, owing to its 
tangled and intricate character. Jupiter was 
somewhere below, yet there were creeks to ford, 
swamps to thread, high, thick scrub to circum¬ 
vent. 

“Well, now, me or Billy got to go to find a 
way. We can't swim one mile without help. I 
have a plan. You, Mr. Roland, will get in the 
chest. You will paddle and you will bail. 
How is that now ? 9 9 

“But how will you or Billy go!” 

“That .1 will show you when the time comes. 
But this is the way we must go or not at all . 9 9 

Bert wanted to go instead of Roly, but his 
heavier body and his confessed tendency to 
cramp were viewed by Baya with disfavor. 

“If I paddle inside that box, I'll not have 
cramps,'' he argued. 

“Suppose you upset, then we both have to 
swim and push on these oars. Mr. Roland had 
better go." 


32 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Mr. Arrowsmith was at first reluctant to al¬ 
low his youngest son to assume such a risk, hut 
he gave way under the weight of Jim’s reason¬ 
ing, supported by Roland’s entreaties. The boy 
was anxious, and made light of any possible 
danger. 

4 ‘Why, father,” he said, “you all will have a 
worse time waiting here than I will going. Sup¬ 
pose bad weather comes on before we get 
back?” 

“It cannot be helped, my boy. But I would 
rather have you and Bert both with me. At the 
worst we might make out to reach the man¬ 
groves. ’ 9 

“Now, father, don’t you know I shall be on 
nettles until we get back with a boat to take you 
off? Jim and I are bound to make a quick 
trip.” 

And so it was decided. Baya voted to wait a 
while longer before making a start. He did not 
care to reach the west shore until after daylight. 
They would need the sun to warm them up for 
their land journey. Billy Key west was to re- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


33 


main with Mr. Arrowsmith and Bert. If a 
troublesome wind arose before rescue came, the 
three were to make for the mangroves, with the 
assistance of a boat pole and a loose portion of 
the Curlew’s false bottom. 

The last hour or so before Jim concluded it 
was time to start was peculiarly trying. In ad¬ 
dition to the nervousness inspired by their com¬ 
ing separation, the three Arrowsmiths felt more 
than ever the fatigues of their position. 

The air felt more raw, the water more chilly, 
the night voices more weird. But at last Baya 
unfastened the lashing and bailed out what lit¬ 
tle water had accumulated in the chest. 
i ‘ While I hold him—so, you get in. ’ 9 
The guide, while speaking, removed his coat 
and trousers, throwing them into the chest. 

“You had better take off all but shirt and 
drawers. Then, if it upsets, you can swim— 
see?” 

While Roly was obeying, Mr. Arrowsmith 
was driven by paternal anxiety to make a final, 
though feeble, protest. 


34 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“Baya,” said he, “I fear very much that this 
plan is too dangerous. Can we not think of 
some other way?” 

“After sun up the wind may rise,” replied 
Jim, a little impatiently. “We can not then get 
to the west shore. I no other way see, sir. ’ ’ 

As he spoke, Roly solved matters by slipping 
into the chest and sitting down on one of the 
hoards laid crosswise over the edges. The 
cranky box sank unevenly to half its depth, hut 
the weight of the boom and oars held it meas¬ 
urably steady. Yet it was a frail, insecure sup¬ 
port at best. 

Roly’s lighter weight alone rendered its nav¬ 
igation with him inside possible. Meanwhile 
Bay a dropped quietly into the water, holding 
on by the boom. 

“Good-by, father,” called Roly, cheerfully, 
as he began to paddle with the other hoard. 
“We aren’t exactly rigged up for racing, but 
you will see us back again before many hours. 
Brace up, Bert. It will be your turn next 
time. ’ ’ 


FLORIDA LADS. 


35 


Slowly, but surely, the queer looking little 
raft disappeared in the darkness. Roland pad- 
died and hailed alternately, while Baya, holding 
to the rear end of the boom, assisted at their 
progress by long, steady kicks, resting now and 
then, as he floated with only his head above 
water. 

For some minutes after the two were lost to 
view, the sound of the paddling was audible to 
the three left behind. They felt lonesome now, 
at least the father and remaining son did. 

Billy Key west coiled himself down on the 
larger space now open to his occupancy, and 
was soon fast asleep. Bert Arrowsmith grum¬ 
bled a little over the fact of his continued inac¬ 
tivity, but when the last sound of the departed 
craft had died away, he, too, curled down along 
the bow, with his feet still in the water. 

44 Better try to catch a nap, father,” he ad¬ 
vised. “You will need the rest later on.” 

But the father, seated between the two, felt 
no inclination to sleep. He was too anxious, 
not so much for himself and Bert as for Roland. 


36 


FLORIDA LADS. 


His imaginative temperament led him to dwell 
upon the various possibilities that might befall 
his youngest son. Bert should have gone, he 
was the stronger. Then he felt that he should 
have taken this peril on himself, as being older, 
more prudent and experienced. 

Doubtless the chest might have upheld any 
of them. Baya was too nervous about its lack 
of buoyancy. They ought to have sent Billy, 
perhaps. These guides were being well paid 
for their services, and as they were more used 
to the perils of such a life, would naturally be 
fertile in self-preserving expedients. 

Then the father sighed and hoped to himself 
that all would yet turn out well. As it was yet 
too soon for them to hear the distant halloo that 
had been agreed on as a signal that Roly and 
Jim had reached the land, his mind reverted to 
the primary object which had induced him to 
accompany his sons on this trip to the ever¬ 
glades. 

Bert was something of a taxidermist, and 
Roly was anxious to secure a few plumes from 


FLORIDA LADS. 


37 


the rarest of Florida birds, the pink curlew. 

The year before, Baya had taken the boys on 
a two weeks’ hunting trip down the Kissimee 
River, though Mr. Arrowsmith had not gone 
with them then. But, during the following win¬ 
ter, he had been visited by an emissary from 
old Tustenuggee, the principal chief of the sec¬ 
tion of the Seminole tribe still remaining in 
south Florida. This man, a half-breed, residing 
on the Miami River, near the everglades, had 
told him a singular story, and made of him a 
strange request. 

The first concerned certain dealings between 
old Bowlegs, son of Osceola, and Mr. Arrow- 
smith’s father, during the last Seminole war ? 
some forty years previous to the period of this 
story. The second related to the education of a 
grandchild of this same Bowlegs, who was a 
great friend of Tustenuggee when the latter was 
a mere stripling of a warrior. 

The whole business had at first seemed so un¬ 
real and chimerical to Mr. Arrowsmith, that he 


38 


FLORIDA LADS. 


was inclined to refrain from meddling in the af¬ 
fair at all. 

But the half-breed’s tales of the wonders of 
the everglades (then hardly known to white 
men) so inflamed the imaginations of Bert and 
Roland, that their father finally agreed to ac¬ 
company them on a trip thither the following 
fall, after the hoys had finished their course at 
the Jacksonville High School. 

Then he told the half-breed what he had de¬ 
termined upon, and, without committing him¬ 
self further, bade him say to Tustenuggee that 
they would visit that chieftain while down there 
and talk more about the strange request which 
the Seminole had made of him concerning the 
education of the great grandchild of the re¬ 
nowned Osceola. 

The boys had now graduated, and the trip 
had been inaugurated by hiring Baya and his 
boat at Titusville, on the Indian River. When 
they were on the point of leaving Fort Capron, 
Billy Keywest came paddling to the wharf in a 
dug-out canoe. Something in his good-natured 


FLORIDA LADS. 


39 


face attracted Mr. ArrowsmittCs fancy. 

It occurred to him that, as they were going 
down among the Seminoles, it wonld be a good 
idea to have one of the tribe along, as an inter¬ 
preter, if necessary, and to smooth the road to 
acquaintanceship generally. 

At first Billy would not go. But he took such 
a liking to a thirty-five calibre Winchester be¬ 
longing to Mr. Arrowsmith, that this gentle¬ 
man, remembering how poor a shot he was 
himself, told Billy that if he went and remained 
faithful, the gun should be his, in addition to 
what wages he might receive. 

Cupidity carried the day. Billy overcame his 
reluctance and went, giving his reasons for 
shrinking from a meeting with his relatives as 
follows: 

“Tustenuggee no good; no like Billy. Billy 
go among pale-face. Go to Key Largo, go to 
Key West, go to Tampa. Billy like pale-face, 
pale-face like Billy. Call him Billy Keywest— 
see ? Tustenuggee no like that. Send for Billy, 
Billy no go. Send, take Billy, take away his 


40 


FLORIDA LADS. 


coat, hat, shoes; make Billy stay by self on Pin- 
newahachee. Billy no like, run away, no go 
back since. Go back now, get many shooting 
gun. Tustenuggee no like, Billy no care. Got 
gun—see? Incah! Shake!” 

A final prolonged handshake had concluded 
this explanation and ratified the bargain. And 
now the Winchester, with all the other weapons, 
was in the bottom of the sound. But they could 
be recovered; Billy did not seem to be uneasy. 

Thus, while his son and the Indian slept, the 
older man reflected, nursing his aching limbs as 
best he could, while the weird first breath of the 
coming dawn began to steal over the man¬ 
groves. 

The few mosquitoes fled as the stars grad¬ 
ually waned, and an impalpable thrill resolved 
itself through the exhausted forces of the night. 

u Daylight is at hand,” muttered he. “They 
ought to be very nearly across by now.” 

A faint, yet clear, whoop came trembling over 
the inky water. It repeated itself-once, twice. 


CHAPTER IV. 

JIM BAYA MEETS WITH AN ACCIDENT. 

After Roland grew a little acustomed to 
the clumsy movement of his improvised craft 
his confidence increased. True, the water came 
in faster than was agreeable, and quite one- 
third of his time was taken up with bailing it 
out. Then the short, broad board which was 
his substitute for a paddle tired his wrists ex¬ 
ceedingly, but he had no notion of complaining. 
Once he lost his grip, and Baya had to recover 
the board that the boy dropped. 

“You must not work so hard,” advised the 
Minorcan. ‘ ‘ Take time—plenty. See ! I don’t 
hurry. ’ ’ 

“I should think you would be afraid of sharks 


- 41 - 


42 


FLORIDA LADS. 


and sawfish. Goodness! Suppose one was to 
make a charge! 9 ’ 

“No danger. Sawfish won’t bother anywhere 
unless you run right onto their saw. Sharks in 
here are only shovel-nose. They are too much 
afraid. Stingray might hurt in shallow water 
if I was to tread on one.” 

Presently Roly’s teeth began to chatter. He 
was in his shirt and drawers, be it remembered. 

“Water warm,” said Jim, pushing leisurely 
from behind. “If you get too cold, we can 
change places so you won’t.” 

‘ ‘ I don’t believe I could get out of this thing 
without turning it over. I know you could not 
get in, Jim.” 

“Well, maybe not. Listen!” 

The harsh trumpeting of sandhill cranes 
sounded high over their heads, and was fol¬ 
lowed by the blowing of the returning por¬ 
poises. 

“Morning most here,” commented Jim. 
“Porpus going south. Wind come that way to¬ 
morrow. Crane going south, too.” 


FLORIDA LADS. 


43 


Soon the spouting animals surrounded them, 
seemingly less afraid of this singular and slow- 
moving craft than of a boat. One huge fellow 
shot half his length into the air close to the 
chest, expelling the water from his lungs with 
a sound not unlike the resonant swish of a 
rocket. 

‘ 4 Look out, Jim! ’ ’ cried Roland, all excite¬ 
ment in a. moment. “He might hit you with 
his tail.’ ’ 

Without thinking, Roland threw his paddling- 
board spear-fashion, and apparently took good 
aim, for the porpoise disappeared with a tre¬ 
mendous surge and churning of water. 

Baya again restored the board, and silently 
watched the antics of these fish as they passed 
on their way until he had rested himself. Then 
the paddling and pushing was resumed. Baya 
steered, and their progress, though slow and in¬ 
finitely wearisome, was sufficient to render the 
woods on the western bank more and more dis¬ 
tinguishable as they drew nearer their desti¬ 
nation. 


44 


FLORIDA LADS. 


So slow was the progress they made that day¬ 
light was beginning to break, when Baya gave 
a long sigh of satisfaction and raised himself 
from the water nntil his head was on a level 
with the top of the chest. Roland looked 
around inquiringly. 

“Are you on bottom, Jim V 9 he asked. 

Baya nodded, and the boy was about to give 
an exulting shout, when the guide held up his 
hand. 

“Wait till we get ashore,’* he said. “Ain’t 
there yet. ’ ’ 

“Right you are, Jim; but we will be there 
soon now.” 

The water shoaled gradually, but as the bot¬ 
tom was of firm, smooth sand, they went more 
rapidly. Nearly two hundred yards were trav¬ 
ersed, however, before the narrow, white beach 
was clearly distinguishable. But Roly could no 
longer restrain his feelings. He waved his pad¬ 
dle and gave a vigorous whoop or two, both pro¬ 
longed and vibratory. Immediately thereafter 
Baya stopped, threw up his arms, and uttered 


FLORIDA LADS. 


45 


a groan indicative of severe pain. 

“What’s the matter, Jim?” asked the lad. 
“Good gracious! are yon hurt?” 

Baya held up one leg in the knee-deep water, 
then he staggered as if about to fall. Roland 
plunged overboard, nearly upsetting the chest, 
and waded to the side of the guide, who con¬ 
tinued to groan as if suffering greatly. 

‘ ‘ Stingray, I reckon, ’ ’ faltered the guide. ‘ ‘ I 
felt him when I my foot put down. I shall be 
laid up, guess.” 

Roly helped the man to the beach, and was 
about to examine the hurt, when Baya pointed 
to the drifting chest and its lashings. 

“Pull them ashore!” he cried. “I told you 
better wait to land before we holler. ’ ’ 

“Well, we are landed now, at any rate. But 
I’m awfully sorry you stepped on that stingray. 
A small one stung me once on Mosquito Lagoon 
when Bert and I were crabbing near the New 
Smyrna Inlet. I couldn’t walk for three days. 
Spoiled the last week of my vacation.” 

While speaking, Roly dragged their raft and 


46 


FLORIDA LADS. 


its accompaniments high np on the beach; then 
he knelt down and assisted Jim to extract a 
small piece of whitish bone half an inch long, 
and having three serrated edges, not unlike the 
teeth of a very fine cut saw. 

The operation was extremely painful. Baya’s 
groans were interrupted by a faint and distant 
shout from the direction of the Curlew. 

“Billy Keywest!” muttered the guide, as he 
bandaged the wound, which, as far as could be 
seen in the growing light, looked blue and 
ragged. 

When Baya attempted to stand he fell back, 
uttering another outcry of pain. He produced 
some kind of gummy-looking substance, 
wrapped in a rag, from behind his hat lining, 
and, striking a match from Roly’s water-tight 
safe, he suffered the melted resin to saturate the 
bandage. 

Another attempt or two convinced them both 
that walking was out of the question for the 
guide—at least for the present. The spear-like 
wound inflicted by the stingray often tempo- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


47 


rarily disables the unfortunates who happen to 
step on one of these flap-winged creatures as it 
lies half buried in the mud of a salt-water Flor¬ 
ida estuary. 

‘‘What are we to do?” queried Roland, sud¬ 
denly sobered by the immediate consequences 
that were likely to ensue from this accident. “I 
shall have to find my way to Jupiter alone, 
won’t I?” 

“Don’t see no other way. Some one must go, 
and go quick. ’ ’ 

It was now light enough for them to see that 
the narrow sand beach whereon they were 
formed the apex of a bend outward of the river 
bank. It extended but a short distance either 
way. 

Beyond was an intricate tangle of trees and 
riotous undergrowth that overhung the water 
as far as they could at present see. Baya, lying 
back on one elbow, reflected a moment. 

“It must be. No other way I see. Go, put 
on your clothes and shoes. Sun soon dry them 
when you walk. There is a trail back of the 


48 


FLORIDA LADS. 


scrub to lighthouse, but you have not the knowl¬ 
edge it to find. I will study up some plan. ’ ’ 

Roland donned his damp outer clothes, then 
sat down and laced up his shoes. Baya pon¬ 
dered gloomily, relieving his feelings with an 
occasional groan. 

After dressing, the lad kindled a fire, for the 
sun was not yet up, though the east was all 
aglow. Far across the sound, under the shadow 
of the mangroves, was a low, dark spot, which 
he knew must be the Curlew. The sight made 
him hasten his preparations for departure. 

Whether he knew the trail or not, he must get 
to the lighthouse quickly. Possibilities of bad 
weather, the inability of his father to endure 
exposure, the hunger of all concerned, were 
powerfully stimulating motives to incite action 
of some kind. 

i 1 Well, I think you Md better the beach fol¬ 
low,” said Baya, handing Roly his own belt and 
sheath knife. “Take that along; it will cut 
vines, and if you happen to meet a bear— ” 

“Oh, come now, Jim!” Roly looked dis- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


49 


gusted. “Pm not so fresh as to be uneasy about 
Florida bears. You know they always run. ” 

Baya grinned, as much with pain as with 
mirth. Then he briefly outlined his instruc¬ 
tions. By following the shore, Roly could not 
get lost in the desert of scrub that stretched 
westward. 

He might see and signal some boat. Parties 
of hunters, or other people, occasionally passed 
up or down the sound. Where the beach was 
too rough or narrow to he traversed, he must 
wade, keeping his shoes on to avoid accidents; 
for instance, such a one as had befallen the 
guide. 

He would have to cross two creeks. One 
could be easily waded. The other might cause 
him to swim for a few yards. Let him beware 
of quicksands and snakes. While neither were 
apt to be dangerous, with ordinary precautions, 
yet he must be careful. As for bear— 

Here Baya grinned again, though he tried to 
pass it off as a grimace caused by his wound. 

Roly shook his fist, playfully. 


50 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“That will do. I cannot hold a whole guide 
book, without taking a rest. I’ll find the way. 
You needn’t doubt it. Won’t Bert take on, 
when he finds out all I’ve been up to, while he 
is squatting over there like a stranded pelican 
that cannot fly? But, I say, Jim, what are you 
going to do while I am gone?” 

“Me? Oh, I sleep awhile! Then mebbe I 
catch a crab for my breakfast—that is, if foot 
don’t too much get bad.” 

“I hate to leave you, Jim. I do so! But they 
need help worse over there.” He pointed to 
the distant Curlew. “Nurse yourself up, old 
fellow. First you know you’ll see me sheering 
’round yonder point in one of those lighthouse 
boats.” 

After a few more mutually consolatory re¬ 
marks, Roly swung his coat over his shoulder 
and held out his hand. 

“Watch out for that sail we saw yesterday,” 
called Baya, as Roly strode away. “Mebbe you 
find some campers.” 


CHAPTER V. 

ROLAND TAKES A TRAMP. 

Roland waved his hand in token that he nn- 
derstood. It was barely possible that some res¬ 
cuing party might be intercepted and pressed 
into service before reaching the lighthouse, but 
he thought the chances were very small. 

It was rather early for the winter tourists, 
who seldom ventured so far south on their fish¬ 
ing and hunting expeditions before January. 

At the period of our tale this whole region, 
except for a few isolated settlements at Lake 
Worth, thirty-five miles further on, was a wil¬ 
derness, the lighthouse and life-saving people 
being alone the only permanent residents. A 
few Indians and native hunters occasionally 
passed up or down, but the general aspect of 

-51 


52 


FLORIDA LADS. 


the country was as wild and lonely as it had 
been for centuries. 

As the boy reached the farthest end of the 
sandy strip, the sun appeared above the eastern 
rim of the sound in a blaze of sudden fire. 

The ensuing warmth felt grateful, though 
Roland had a provisional thought of the heat 
that would come later on, especially if the wind 
did not rise early. He hoped it would remain 
calm—at least, until some boat was ready to 
start with a relieving party. 

What mattered his own temporary discom¬ 
fort, if it ensured warmth and safety to the dear 
ones who were not yet out of danger ? 

When he had walked for some little space on 
a jumble of semi-detached rocks, protruding 
from the shallow water beyond where the sand 
beach ended, he was brought to a realization of 
the probable difficulties in his way by a high, 
ragged ledge, densely overhung by a matted un¬ 
dergrowth. The loose rocks disappeared in the 
greater depth of water, andj there was no beach 
whatever. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


53 


He attempted to make his way by climbing 
the ledge and pushing on through the vines and 
bushes. But this was slow, hard work, notwith¬ 
standing the assistance of Jim’s sheath-knife in 
cutting away the worst of the obstructions. 

At this rate of progress he would never 
reach Jupiter in time. Such anxiety of thought, 
combined with severe physical effort as he 
struggled on, soon put him into a profuse per¬ 
spiration. 

After several hundred yards of this sort of 
thing, he sat down to rest, but jumped up again, 
as if he worked his anatomy on springs that had 
been suddenly galvanized. 

There was no mistaking the ominous rattle 
issuing from beneath the rock on which he had 
seated himself. He grasped a dogwood stick 
that he carried and soon killed a large ground 
rattler that was reaching spitefully from its 
coil under the edge of the rock. Then another 
and yet another appeared from sundry rock 
crevices where they had passed the night. 

Roly killed three more; but, as their number 


54 


FLORIDA LADS. 


still increased, lie sprang on to an isolated boul¬ 
der, which the action of the water had left a 
half-dozen feet beyond the brink of the ledge. 

“I don’t like this one bit,” he said to himself. 
“I must have struck a den of the horrid things. 
Bert says they are more poisonous than the or¬ 
dinary .rattlesnake. Hello ! 9 ’ 

As he uttered the last exclamation, he discov¬ 
ered that he was losing his balance on the slip¬ 
pery footing he had secured. A violent effort 
to recover himself resulted in a wild sprawl. To 
save his bones from a fall, he sprang into the 
water, and found that it was only a little above 
his knees. 

“This is better than fighting snakes or tug¬ 
ging my way through that scrub , 9 9 he thought, 
as he waded on at greater speed than he had 
made on shore. 

He did not mind the wetting now, and pushed 
bravely on until the receding of the rocks en¬ 
abled him to once more pick his way along the 
bank. 

As he rounded another point, he caught a last 


FLORIDA LADS. 


55 


glimpse of the capsized Curlew, just visible on 
his Jeft, far across the sound. The parting view 
spurred him to increased exertions. 

Where the beach was smooth or open, he al¬ 
most ran, to make up for his slower progress 
where rocks or hushes impeded his advance 
more or less. In a small cove, with a white 
ideal beach, he caught a gleam of darting pink 
and heard a soft flapping of long wings as a 
large water bird, with long legs and an atten¬ 
uated bill, disappeared amid the timber to the 
right. 

Roland held his breath in a flush of disap¬ 
pointed expectation; then he was almost inclined 
to use hard language. 

“It must have been a pink curlew,’’ he 
thought. 4 ‘ Oh, if I only had a gun ! 9 9 

This rare creature of rich plumes and start¬ 
ling color was to the lad like a glimpse of gold 
to a long baffled prospector. Both Bert and 
himself had occasionally secured white and blue 
heron plumes in season. They were valuable in 
a way, and worthy tokens of a hunter’s skill. 


56 


FLORIDA LADS. 


But they were as nothing compared to the pos¬ 
session of a real pink curlew. Rare and beau¬ 
tiful at all times, such a prize was apt to be 
gained only by assiduous haunting of the wild¬ 
est recesses of the south Florida wilderness, 
especially about the everglades. 

Roly had known of a lady tourist paying fifty 
dollars for one to a ragged cracker from near 
Lake Marion, who probably had never seen so 
much money at one time before in his life. 

“If I had only bagged that fellow,” thought 
he, as he trudged forward, “wouldn’t Bert have 
been jealous ? He’d simply turn green!’ ’ 

Later he corrected this remark by admitting 
to himself that Bert wouldn’t have cared so 
much, after all. 

“Bert’s too generous for that. He wouldn’t 
have wanted to see that plume fly away, though. 
By-the-way, I don’t know but what a good steak 
and some coffee would be more appropriate now 
than even a pink curlew. Yet why should I 
grumble? The others are in the same fix.” 

Not having grumbled, yet treating himself as 


FLORIDA LADS. 


57 


if he had, the boy urged his tiring legs to still 
greater effort, feeling that fifteen miles over 
such a route was enough to try the spirit of any 
one who had lodged as he had, and breakfasted 
principally on air and anticipation. 

When he finally came to the first of the two 
creeks, he remembered that Baya had said he 
would still be twelve miles from Jupiter. This 
was discouraging, though he had not thought of 
just this phase of the situation before. His 
legs felt as if he had gone at least half the dis¬ 
tance to the lighthouse. 

The sun was growing high. The sound was 
like glass, and, despite the season, he panted be¬ 
neath the semi-tropic rays as if it were July, in¬ 
stead of November. 

Suppose—and with the thought came a shiver 
of apprehension—suppose his strength should 
give out. Fasting and exposure might cripple 
his endurance. But he resolutely put the idea as 
far from his mind as he could, and bent his at¬ 
tention and energies strictly to the task in hand. 

‘ ‘ I must not give out!’ ’ he muttered, between 


58 


FLORIDA LADS. 


his teeth. “I simply must keep up, that’s all!” 

As he rounded another point after crossing 
the creek, he noticed a line of tall stakes stretch¬ 
ing across the sound nearly to the eastern shore. 
They were, perhaps, forty yards apart, but did 
not reach into the shallow water nearer the 
bank. 

“Let’s see. This is near the green turtle sea¬ 
son. Perhaps I may strike a camp of turtle- 
catchers. That would be lucky. ’ ’ 

The inspiration thus aroused stimulated him 
for another hot weary mile or two, more espe¬ 
cially as he detected two more similar lines, that 
might have been a third of a mile apart. 

But the hope dwindled as he passed them 
gradually, without seeing any sign of human 
occupancy other than a deserted camp, built of 
poles and cabbage palm leaves. 

“It is an old camp, I reckon,” he thought, 
dejectedly. “I dare say it has not been used 
this season, though, to be sure, it is rather early 
for the green turtle yet.” 

His speed diminished somewhat at this point, 


FLORIDA LADS. 


59 


and lie hardly had spirit enough left to make 
much comment, when the sight of the second 
creek lazily worming its way across a stretch of 
sand-bars into the sound, admonished him that 
he had eight miles of rough travel ahead of him 
yet. 

This branch, or bayou, flowed in a sluggish, 
crooked, deep channel, through a timbered, 
swampy region, suggestive of alligators and 
water moccasins. Where it crossed the low 
ridge that barricaded the sound the tussocky soil 
was overswept by yellow sands, which gradually 
sank beneath the salt water. 

A step or two convinced Roly that the footing 
was treacherous, and he found it impossible to 
reach the channel of the stream, owing to the 
quicksands which here abounded. Feeling it 
necessary to cross at once, he threw himself 
boldly into the shallow water upon his hands 
and knees, and, between paddling and crawling, 
soon had the satisfaction of feeling the bottom 
sink away beneath his feet. 

It was hut a few strokes to where the water 


60 


FLORIDA LADS. 


grew shallow again on the other side, and he 
tried to repeat the same process in gaining dry 
land once more. 

But to his surprise, not to say terror, he found 
that the sands here were so yielding that a very 
slight pressure sent him into their shifting 
depths. So he floundered on, growing more 
nervous as the wate** became more shallow, and 
the difficulty of extricating himself after each 
successive effort increased. 

At last one of his legs refused to obey him. 
The grip of the sand was too strong. A terrible 
effort sent him plunging forward, then he was 
brought up again, with both feet caught and one 
of his hands. 

He withdrew his hand after a severe tug, but 
his feet would not come up. He threw himself 
flat—for the water was here but a few inches 
deep—and endeavored to move further by pre¬ 
senting as broad a surface as possible for the 
sands. His fear amounted to pain when he felt 
the tenacious mass beneath close round his 
knees. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


61 


Was. he to be held prostrate and strangled 
helplessly by inches'? 

By an exertion of strength that left him 
trembling, he withdrew his arms and struggled 
to an upright position on his knees. But to rise 
further he found to he impossible. As he real¬ 
ized his helplessness a strong, piteous cry burst 
from his lips. 


CHAPTER VI. 


BOLAND GIVES UP A DOLLAR. 

Then he listened with heart throbbing might¬ 
ily. He almost knew that no one would be apt 
to be within hearing, yet he could not restrain 
his impulse to call for help. 

Back in the channel he had just crossed he 
heard a swashing sound. Some large fish were 
scattering the smaller fry into the safer recesses 
of the bayou. He recognized with a shiver that 
the knotty-looking dark object floating near like 
a dead limb was an alligator. The saurian was 
hardly large enough to be dangerous, yet the 
sight of it caused Roland to renew the struggle 
to extricate himself from the peril that seemed 
certain. But he was now nearly exhausted. As 
fast as one part of him was temporarily extri- 

— 62 — 


FLORIDA LADS. 


63 


cated he would sink deeper elsewhere. 

‘‘This is worse than being on the Curlew,” 
thought he, as cold pricklings of real terror con¬ 
tended with the heat of exertion. “Hark! 
Didn’t I hear something ? ’ ’ 

While he was speaking, a young girl, curious¬ 
ly dressed in a semi-civilized fashion, appeared 
from a fringe of saw-palmetto beyond the sand- 
beach, and, after a keen look at Roland, hurried 
forward. In her hand was a fishing-pole, and, 
as she ran, her rough palmetto hat flew off, dis¬ 
closing a face too dark for that of a white per¬ 
son and too light for an Indian. 

“Don’t move!” she called in a clear, soft 
voice. ‘ ‘ Stay perfectly still! ’ ’ 

“She speaks good English,” was Roly’s men¬ 
tal comment, as he obeyed, making himself as 
flat as he could. “What luck! I was about giving 
the thing up. Hope she’ll hurry, though.” 

When she reached the edge of the treacherous 
sand, she tried her pole. It would hardly reach 
to Roland’s outstretched hand. 

“Keep quiet,” she admonished him again, in 


64 


FLORIDA LADS. 


a matter-of-fact tone. 44 It is better so.” 

While speaking, she deftly doubled her fish¬ 
ing-line, secured it to the pole by a mysterious 
knot, tied in a twinkling, and then flung it 
toward Roland, as if he might be some huge fish 
about to bite. 

44 Wind it ’round your wrist,” she said, 44 and 
hold very tight. ’ ’ 

The length of the line enabled him to do this 
without difficulty. Then she braced herself with 
both feet and called out: 

44 Now pull away! Don’t be afraid to pull 
hard. Draw yourself out—so.” 

Roland obeyed, and found that a steady hori¬ 
zontal pull was extricating him from his danger¬ 
ous predicament, slowly, yet surely. 

It was ? however, tedious work, tired as he 
was; but he persevered, and soon had the satis¬ 
faction of drawing himself to his feet where the 
sand began to be more firm. 

The girl never moved from her position until 
she saw that Roland could proceed without 
further assistance, then she allowed herself to 


FLORIDA LADS. 


65 


sink back into a sitting attitude and gave vent 
to a low, mnsical, yet hearty laugh. 

“It wasn’t such a laughing matter to me,” 
said Roly, as he, too, sank exhausted upon the 
sand near her. “By George, but you are strong, 
for a girl! I’m immensely obliged, you know . 9 9 

She gradually ceased her merriment, then 
shrugged her shoulders slightly, as she sur¬ 
veyed, first the boy, then the quicksand. 

“It is very dangerous—for those who do not 
know how to manage. You crossed at the wrong 
place. Over there,” pointing to the left, “the 
sand is better . 91 

Roland by this time was so struck by her man¬ 
ner and appearance that he did not at once ask 
about the chance to secure aid for the Curlew. 

The girl had a refined expression, regular 
oval features, an olive complexion, large, dark 
eyes, and an exquisite figure. Her attire was 
even more peculiar and hardly less charming, 
in its way. 

She wore a skirt of dyed fawn-skin, dressed 
to the softness of a kid glove, that reached hard- 


66 


FLORIDA LADS. 


ly to her ankles. Scarlet leggings, neatly but¬ 
toned, just overlapped a pair of well-made 
“store” shoes, that could not have been larger 
than threes. Her hair, thick, black and wavy, 
was coiled above her shapely head, almost 
crowding aside, in its abundance, the rough, 
braided hat she had replaced, and which was 
ornamented with one of those rare pink plumes 
that were the desire of Roland's heart. 

“Who and what was she?” he asked himself. 

Her face might have been that of a Cuban, 
her dress indicated a certain kind of soft sav- 
agery, yet her taste in self-adornment evinced a 
natural, if not an artificial culture. Then, again, 
her language! 

Whoever she was, he- felt that the charm of 
her presence was not less attractive than her aid 
had been opportune. 

“You came just in the nick of time,” he said, 
after a mutual pause, during which each furtive¬ 
ly inspected the other. “I do believe that in 
another minute I should have gone under. But, 
I say! After this, it looks like we ought to know 


FLORIDA LADS. 


67 


each other. My father and brother are roost¬ 
ing on a capsized boat back yonder, and I’m 
after help to get them off. Billy Keywest is 
along, besides a guide. My name is— ” 

“H-s-s-h!” 

She motioned for him to say no more, and, 
without turning her head, indicated that some 
one was approaching, though Roland had not 
heard anything. 

As she rose, however, he saw the palmetto 
leaves part and a tall Seminole appear, clad in 
a calico hunting shirt, yellow turban, jeans leg- 
gins, and wearing a saturnine air. He was 
tawny, muscular, and stern in manner. Holding 
up one finger, he beckoned to the girl, who be¬ 
gan to retreat. 

“I must go,” she half-whispered. 4 ‘Don’t 
follow. ’ ’ 

“But, I say!” began Roland, eagerly. “I 
must ask that—that man for help. You have 
been mighty good. Perhaps he won’t mind. ’ ’ 

Notwithstanding her request, Roly had ad¬ 
vanced as she retired, until both were near the 


68 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Seminole, who had ndt spoken, though he re¬ 
garded Roland with evident disapproval. 

; ‘ Look here! ’ ’ said the boy, to the Indian. 4 ‘1 
want to hire some help and a boat for a few 
hours. It won’t take long.” 

Then he briefly described the situation of his 
party and appealed to the Seminole’s cupidity, 
when he saw that he was still viewed with sus¬ 
picion. 

Meanwhile the girl had paused, but the man, 
uttering a few words in his native tongue, mo¬ 
tioned towards the woods. She bent on Roland 
a half-comical look of protest, that ended in a 
pretty pout of her lip; then, shrugging her 
shoulders petulantly, she disappeared in the 
shrubbery. 

The Seminole turned towards the lad and 
surveyed his wet and draggled form apatheti¬ 
cally. 

“Me no boat,” tapping his own breast sig¬ 
nificantly. “Must go. No time to stay.” 

“Well, you’d like to make some money, 
wouldn’t you ? ’ ’ 


FLORIDA LADS. 


69 


“Yah. Like money—money good. Buy pow¬ 
der, buy tobac. Got no boat, though." 

“Can't you get a boat, canoe or something? 
I tell you, we are in a bad fix. Isn't there any 
one else about nearer than Jupiter?" 

“White men—two mile down there." He 
pointed south. “They got boat. They go, 
mebbe.'' 

‘ ‘ All right, my friend. Why did you not say 
so before? Time is precious with me now? I'll 
get on." 

But before Roland could move, the Indian 
patted a pouch of dressed otter-skin at his waist, 
and for the first time smiled amiably. 

“No money here. Indian tell. Give Injun 
one chalk—two chalk—for tell about boat." 

“By George, old fellow, I'm broke, I think!" 
said Roly, feeling in his pockets. “No, here is— 
Let's see. Haven't I anything but a dollar?" 

He had fished out a large coin, which the 
Seminole eyed greedily, while Roly, looking in 
vain for a quarter (which by the Indians there¬ 
abouts is called “one chalk"), debated whether 


70 


FLORIDA LADS. 


tie should part with all his pocket-money at one 
swoop of generosity. 

It occurred to him that if the man had not 
earned so much, the service done him by the girl 
was well worth a large reward, though she had 
not seemed to want anything. 

‘ 4 Take this,” he said. “Give it to that nice- 
looking girl from me. Do you understand!” 

“Yah, me know.” He grabbed the coin at 
once. “All right—all right. Two mile down 
there—white man with boat. Incah! White boy 
good. Tom Tiger no forget—no forget!” 

And he hastily withdrew behind the screen of 
palmetto, as if he feared Roland might want his 
dollar back again. 

The lad resumed his tramp along the beach, 
laughing half-regretfully over the Seminole’s 
greed, yet feeling that the money was not ill- 
spent after all. 

“I should like to know more about that girl. 
She is a daisy! I’ll bet she would have gone 
back with me herself if she had had a boat here 
—that is, if that sour-looking fellow would have 


FLOBIDA LADS* 


71 


let her go. I don’t much think he would, 
though. Money is the only thing he cottons to; 
hut he did some good, in spite of himself. If he 
isn’t lying, I will soon be in a way to help father 
and Bert. ’ ’ 

The succeeding two miles were not so very 
tedious, as the beach was more open. Sooner 
than he expected, Boland came suddenly upon 
a large two-masted, flat-bottomed sharpie, an¬ 
chored in a little cove, with her stern line 
fastened to a stake on shore. 

There was a neat wall tent near by and three 
men gathered around a small fire, one of whom 
was frying a mess of freshly-caught mullet. 

A cast-net, spread on the bushes, some guns 
and bedding scattered about, and an Irish setter 
gnawing a venison bone in the sand, completed 
the sylvan picture. 

Boly felt as if he could hug the whole party 
in the thrill of relief that came to him as he 
hastened forward. 

They greeted him with bluff cordiality, 
though his battered appearance excited curi¬ 
osity. 


72 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“Looks as though yon had been wrecked, 
sonny,’’ said one, while the fish were being taken 
np, and some other eatables arranged helter- 
skelter upon cabbage palm leaves, placed as a 
table-cloth on the clean white sand. “What’s 
gone wrong? Hungry? Well, squat down and 
pitch in. You can tell us while you eat. We 
don’t use any frills about here.” 

While eating and drinking hot coffee with a 
ravenous vigor that he would at any other time 
have been a little ashamed of, Roland told them 
briefly who he was, and described the predica¬ 
ment his party was in. 

The oldest man of the three laughed. 

“So you are Bertwood Arrowsmith’s son.” 
And he’s up yonder, sitting coon fashion on the 
side of his boat. Well, that beats me! Don’t 
know me, I suppose?” The speaker was evi¬ 
dently a Northern man. Roly guessed that 
much by his brisk, incisive way and slight nasal 
twang. “Well, I know your father—stopped at 
his house coming up the St. John’s on my last 
trip down here. Rhyne is my name—from Bos- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


73 


ton. If you don’t believe it try these canned 
beans. They come from there. I’m in the 
wholesale shoe line. Run down here every win¬ 
ter to knock over a bear or two and eat turtle 
eggs. Yon boys were away at school when I 
looked in on your pater. Fine fellow he is— 
treated us in bang-up style. Eat away, my boy. 
It’s all paid for, it is. When we’re done, we’ll 
up sail and at ’em; and we won’t go slow, either 
—eh, Tony?” 

Tony was their guide. 

The third one proved to be a nephew of Mr. 
Rhyne’s, who was as reticent as his uncle was 
loquacious. 

Roly felt as if his troubles were now at an 
end. Nor was he disappointed. After the meal 
was over, Mr. .Rhyne bustled about, making 
every one else bustle, too, with the result that 
the sharpie, with all hands on board, including 
the dog, was soon making up the sound with a 
fair wind, which had begun to rise nearly an 
hour previously. 

It was not long before the low point that hid 


74 


FLORIDA LADS. 


the cove where lay the Curlew was sufficiently 
weathered to render her low, upturned side visi¬ 
ble. Mr. Rhyne brought out a field glass and 
took a look. 

“Well, now,” said he, “that’s queer. There 
isn’t a soul on the blessed boat that I can see . 9 9 


CHAPTER VII. 

RAISING THE CURLEW AT JUPITER. 

Roland took the glass as soon as it was offered 
and surveyed the capsized craft. One look con¬ 
vinced him of the correctness of Mr. Rhyne’s 
assertion. The sunken hull was deserted. 

A thrill of alarm took possession of him for 
a moment, but a second thought convinced him 
that, as the weather had been so mild and 
the sound so smooth, it was not likely that any 
further disaster had befallen the party. 

“They must be somewhere about,’’ he said. 
“I left them perched on the Curlew, but per¬ 
haps some one else has gone to their relief.” 

“What boat is that?” asked the nephew, 
pointing to the left. 


— 75 — 


76 


FLORIDA LADS. 


A dug-out canoe had just appeared from be¬ 
hind a point near where Roland and Bay a had 
landed that morning. 

Several people were on hoard, and two pad¬ 
dles were going. Roly turned the glass towards 
the spot, and broke into a laugh of exultation. 

“Why, it is our folks!” he exclaimed. 
“There is the dear old governor in the stern. 
Bert is paddling, and Billy Keywest— I don’t 
see Jim, though.” 

“Nor you won’t see him to-day doing much, 
if he has stepped on a stingray,” commented 
Mr. Rhyne. “I once speared one of the things, 
and was trying to get him loose with one hand, 
carelessly, when—zip! I caught it in the palm. 
I couldn’t use that hand for nearly a week. 
Rather guess they’re poisonous.” 

The sharpie was headed towards the canoe, 
and in a few minutes was brought up into the 
wind close to the other craft, whereat there were 
jocular and courteous greetings on both sides. 

After some mutual questioning, the canoe was 
made fast to the stern of the sharpie, and the 


FLORIDA LADS. 


77 


latter was headed for the Curlew. Mr. Arrow- 
smith and Bert came on hoard of Mr. Rhyne’s 
boat, and the two older gentlemen shook hands 
cordially. 

Billy Keywest and a strange white man re¬ 
mained in the canoe. Roland’s father explained 
how they happened to be taken oft after the 
boy had related his own adventures. 

“Those quicksands are dangerous affairs,” 
said Rhyne. “Rescued by a pretty girl, eh? 
Some of those everglade Seminole women are 
not half bad-looking. I’ve seen Tom Tiger. 
He’s a regular screw. They say he’s a sort of 
sub chief under old Tustenuggee. But go ahead, 
Mr. Arrowsmith: spin us your yarn. We’ll set 
you straight again before night, Curlew and all. 
Bet your life I haven’t forgot how well you 
treated us at your house last winter. Ease her 
off, Alfy,” to his nephew. “Don’t you see your 
sail is shaking?” 

It appeared that some time after sunrise, two 
men in a canoe were discovered coming out of 
the narrows. Billy waved his gay-colored hand- 


78 


FLORIDA LADS. 


kerchief, while all hands sang out as loud as 
they could. 

They were seen; the canoe came up; a bar¬ 
gain was struck, and not more than an hour or 
so after Roland had started on his solitary jour¬ 
ney the wrecked party were being paddled to¬ 
wards Baya’s fire on the bank. They found that 
worthy nursing his foot and grumbling to him¬ 
self over the state of things in general. 

The two men were from the St. Lucie country 
above, and bound down the sound to make a 
winter’s camp for the purpose of catching green 
turtle. 

They had their nets and a supply of provi¬ 
sions along. Mr. Arrowsmith easily bargained 
for their services as long as he should need 
them, and also purchased some provisions. 

So they cooked and ate a leisurely breakfast, 
pitying poor Roly the while for the unnecessary 
fatigues he was then undergoing, and rested 
themselves for a time after their night of ex¬ 
posure. 

Then, leaving one of the two men to fish with 


FLOBIDA LADS. 


79 


his cast-net, while Baya was to prepare a late 
dinner, they had just started hack to the Curlew 
when the sharpie was sighted. 

It was not long before the Curlew was 
reached, and here the level head of Mr. Ehyne 
was of practical service in devising ways and 
means for raising the sunken craft, and reliev¬ 
ing her of her load of sea-water. 

He stood on the deck of his sharpie and di¬ 
rected, while Bert, Boland, his nephew, Billy, 
and the turtle fishermen executed. 

The mainmast halyards were loosed from the 
sail and rove through a double throat block; 
then the anchor was cast firmly in the mud close 
to the Curlew and hove short and taut. 

“Now, who’s a good diver?” said Mr. Ehyne. 
“I want a man who can stay under water long 
enough to make fast the end of this rope to the 
masthead of your boat.” 

Bert began to strip off. 

Eoly, who liked the water, too, asked, eagerly: 

“Haven’t you anything for me to do under 
water, Mr. Ehyne?” 


80 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“In a minute. Get back here in the stern. 
We shall want to make fast this sheet to the 
Curlew’s traveler as soon as she rights.” 

“Boys,” remarked their father, “perhaps 
you had better let Billy do that.” 

“It wont hurt ’em, Arrowsmith. If it wasn’t 
for rheumatism, you and I would be overboard 
ourselves. Here, Billy, take a grip with this 
boat-hook on the gunwale of that boat when we 
begin to haul away forward. We don’t want 
the stern to swing off.” 

Bert had quietly gone overboard, as also did 
Roly, with their respective rope-ends. The older 
men busied themselves above. 

Presently the boys emerged from the bottom, 
dripping. Bert had found his Ballard, a pet 
breech-loader he prized highly. He had come 
across it in the mud near the mast-head. 

As he deposited it on the sharpie’s deck, the 
sight gave Mr. Rhyne another idea. 

“You two boys dive around and collect what 
loose things you can find. We’ve force enough 
up here to haul away without your help. Noth- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


81 


ing like a proper division of labor, yon know.” 

The ropes being made fast, the men on board 
“hauled away,” first at the bow, then at the 
stern, nsing the sharpie’s traveler block as an 
aid aft. 

The Curlew slowly righted, but remained on 
the bottom, being full of water. But by inches 
she was hoisted, stern and bow alternately, the 
halyard being removed from the masthead to 
the ringbolt in the sunken boat’s bow. 

Arrived at the surface, she was made fast, 
and some judicious tilting to and fro emptied 
enough of water to enable Billy to get aboard 
and begin bailing with a bucket. Meanwhile the 
boys collected the articles of their outfit from 
the sound bottom one by one. Hardly anything 
was finally lost. 

Some of the provisions were ruined, though 
the salt meat and canned goods were all right. 
The bedding had been carried ashore in the 
canoe. 

The air was warm and balmy, the water de¬ 
licious in temperature, and all hands now rather 


82 


FLORIDA LADS. 


enjoyed the novel experience. Billy was shown 
the Winchester he was to have at the end of the 
trip. 

“Incah!” he almost shouted, taking up the 
dripping weapon tenderly. ‘ ‘ Good gun! Stand 
heap big swim. No hurt him.” 

“ Billy, what the deuce does ‘ incah ’ mean?” 
demanded Mr. Rhyne, who was never backward 
about questioning anybody. “I hear you Semi- 
noles always at it.” 

Billy looked puzzled; then his face brightened 
in a quizzical manner. 

“What white man mean when say ‘dooce’?” 

There was a general laugh at this, and the 
subject was dropped. But, as far as could be 
ascertained, the expression was simply an In¬ 
dian kind of byword indicative of surprise or 
satisfaction. 

By the time the Curlew was bailed out, her 
halyards and sail arranged, and the last thing 
that could be found placed aboard, the sun had 
well started on his downward western journey. 

Everybody was hungry and everybody was 


FLORIDA LADS. 


83 


tired. Baya had a surprisingly good dinner 
ready when they got back, considering his crip¬ 
pled condition and the primitive nature of the 
articles he had at his command. 

The mullet were fat, the bacon sweet, the hoe- 
cakes done to a turn, and the coffee strong 
enough, as Mr. Rhyne said, “to float an iron 
wedge. ’ ’ 

The Bostonian made himself a cup of very 
good tea and chatted briskly throughout the 
meal. 

After that, preparations were made to sep¬ 
arate. The wind being east, was fair going 
either up or down, and as Mr. Rhyne wanted to 
get through the narrows before night, on his 
way north, he departed first. As he shook hands 
with Mr. Arrowsmith, he looked about him with 
a kind of humorous wistfulness. 

“Deuce take me, if I haven’t a mind to turn 
hack and try the everglades!” he said. “If it 
wasn’t that my partner will raise cain if I am 
not hack by the twentieth, I would. He wants 
to go to Europe, you see. But if you are ever 


84 


FLORIDA LADS. 


up my way, give me a call.” 

He left his business card with Mr. Arrow- 
smith, and the entire party were sorry to part 
with so genial and unceremonious a man. The 
last they saw of them, Mr. Rhyne was trying to 
get a shot at a pelican and Alfy was lighting his 
pipe. Then a point of mangroves hid the 
sharpie from view. Half an hour later the Cur¬ 
lew was on her way to Jupiter, where she ar¬ 
rived shortly after sunset, without anything 
further happening of special interest. 

At this point they spent two days waiting for 
a fair wind to get to Lake Worth, further down 
the coast. As they would have to go outside, 
favorable weather was particularly desirable. 
Bay a’s wound progressed so well that he could 
limp about, with the aid of a cane, quite ac¬ 
tively. 

The boys took great interest in the lighthouse 
itself, and the view from the summit of the tall 
tower, one hundred and fifty feet from the sea 
level. 

To the east was the broad Atlantic every- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


85 


where. North, south and west was a flat ex¬ 
panse of wooded country, threaded with artery¬ 
like streams here and there. Vast stretches of 
pine barrens alternated with lesser stretches of 
scrub and hummock. 

In the far western horizon a gray haze 
marked the region about Lake Okechobee, and 
between the forest gradually gave way to broad 
savannahs, interspersed with island-like clumps 
of cabbage-palms, though on the borders of the 
great lake the open level expanse was not unlike 
a view of the vast plains of the far West. 

The next day all hands went fishing down at 
the inlet, not more than half a mile from the 
lighthouse. As soon as they arrived, Roly took 
an axe, drove a stake firmly in the sand, and at¬ 
tached thereto a shark-line, with a pound of 
meat on a large hook at the other end. 

This he coiled sailor-fashion and cast into the 
channel, just within the nearest line of breakers. 
As the tide was on the turn, Mr. Arrowsmith 
and the two boys were drawing in large red 
snappers, skipjack and channel-bass, literally as 


86 


FLORIDA LADS. 


fast as they could bait their hooks and cast their 
lines. 

So eagerly, indeed, did the fish bite that Mr. 
Arrowsmith, after throwing back several, 
abandoned the sport, saying it looked too much 
like mere slaughter, and walked over the sand¬ 
hills toward the shark-line. 

Billy Key west, with a cast-net, was further up 
the stream, catching small fish called “hickory 
shad,” to he used as bait. 

“Father thinks it’s mere killing,’’ said Roly 
to Bert. . “Why, I call it great fun. Never did 
I see fish bite so before. Look here!” 

He placed his foot on a beautiful fish nearly 
eighteen inches long, with a purple-hued back 
and sides like molten gold. It was scaleless, 
like a trout. 

“What is it, Jim!” asked Bert, as Bay a 
limped up with a “two-sack,” in which he put 
the fish. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


ROLY MAKES A NEW ACQUAINTANCE. 

Jim Bay a held up the wriggling beauty, while 
they noted the dazzling play of sunlight over its 
shining surface. 

“Pompano,” said the guide, dropping it in 
the bag. ‘ ‘ Best fish on the coast. The bones are 
so soft you can eat 'em. Mighty hard to catch, 
though! You've got more than enough, hoys. 
Hadn't you better stop!” 

“Stop!” exclaimed both, reproachfully. 

“You might as well. As soon as the tide sets 
the other way, they'll stop biting, anyhow.” 

The tide was setting, as they soon found out. 
All at once the fish stopped biting, as Baya said. 
Neither tempting bait nor patient coaxing 
would ensure even a nibble. 


- 87 - 


88 


FLORIDA LADS. 


The sudden cessation seemed almost uncanny, 
but as they were winding up their lines, there 
came a call from over the sandhills. 

“That is father!” said Roland. “I hope he 
has got a shark. Let’s go, Bert.” 

So they went, followed by Baya, who hunted 
up the axe as he limped along. 

■When the boys arrived on the summit of the 
sand ridge, they saw Mr. Arrowsmith with his 
shoes off, his trousers rolled up, and tugging 
manfully at the shark-line, which was as rigid 
as a telegraph wire. 

At times he would retreat backward a few 
steps, then a surge by some unseen power would 
draw him forward again, though usually not 
before he had taken a turn or two of the line 
around the stake. 

Hold to him, father!” called Bert, as the 
two boys quickened their steps into a run. “He 
must be a big fellow.’ ’ 

With the assistance of his sons, Mr. Arrow- 
smith soon had the shark in shallow water. The 
first indications of his visible presence were by 


FLORIDA LADS. 


89 


sundry sweeping lurches to and fro, together 
with darting gleams of some dark substance 
shooting through the waves. 

When the shark found itself in water too shal¬ 
low for swimming, its floundering was terrible. 
At times it bounded clear of the water into the 
air. 

“Take an axe,” said the guide, handing it to 
Bert. “Knock him on the head. Don’t let him 
hit you with his tail. ’ ’ 

Bert, having taken off his shoes, cautiously 
advanced, while the others made fast the line, 
leaving the fish about thirty feet play. 

For a minute or two its furious flouncing kept 
the boy away. He caught glimpses of its dull, 
cruel eyes, and saw that it was eight or nine 
feet long. Finally he got a chance to deliver a 
good blow, when the shark suddenly stiffened 
itself, its frame giving forth a series of huge 
quivers. 

A second blow completed the job, and the 
monster was leisurely drawn ashore. 

“I had rather catch channel bass,” said Roly, 


90 


FLORIDA LADS. 


after inspecting their victim. “I suppose Billy 
will want to make oil out of him.” 

But when they returned to the river side of 
the sand ridge, they saw Billy with a rope over 
his shoulder, in the act of dragging a good- 
sized sawfish out of the water. 

A boat-spear near by and a gash in the crea¬ 
ture’s side, explained the manner in which the 
young Seminole had bested his finny adversary. 

By the time they came to where Billy was he 
had severed the projecting saw of the fish and 
presented it to Mr. Arrowsmith, saying: 

“One, two, three feet long. Good for hang 
over door.” 

Mr. Arrowsmith received the gift with be¬ 
coming gravity, and slipped a plug of “store” 
tobacco into Billy’s hand; whereat both parties 
were mutually pleased with each other. 

Upon the return of the Curlew to the light¬ 
house, Roly found that a party of everglade 
Seminoles, on their way home from a trading 
trip up the coast, had just been there. Indeed, 
one old man was still at the storehouse, begging 


FLORIDA LADS. 


91 


the lightkeeper for liquor, of which he had ap- 
parently had more than enough. 

Mr. Arrowsmith and Bert had remained at 
their camp, which had been established on a 
small island not far away. Roly had rowed him¬ 
self over, to purchase some article that they 
needed from the lightkeeper, who, it seemed, 
kept a small store at the base of the tower. 

The dilapidated appearance of the old Semi¬ 
nole excited the boy’s pity, and when the Indian 
was turned away with his liquor flask still 
empty, Roly gave him a dime, thinking he must 
be destitute. 

“Don’t buy whisky with it,” he cautioned the 
old fellow, who, balancing himself tipsily, sur¬ 
veyed the boy with ponderous gravity. 

At last he nodded, took the coin, and patted 
Roly on the back. 

“Good boy, good boy,” he growled, guttu- 
rally. “Got money, heap—ain’t it?” 

As Roly shook his head in the negative, the 
Indian smiled on him in a wide, meaningless 
way, then disappeared down a trail leading 


92 


FLORIDA LADS. 


through the scrub that surrounded the mound 
whereon the lighthouse stood. 

“He looks desperately poor/’ remarked 
Roly, as he made his purchase. “I suppose he 
is too old to make much hunting !” 

“Well, he don’t need to,” replied the light- 
keeper. “Do you know who that old chap is!” 

“Never saw him before. I should say he was 
some outcast of the tribe. He seems to be 
alone. ’ ’ 

“Oh, yes. He can’t make up his mind to 
leave where he thinks there is a chance to get 
fire-water. If I had sold him any he would have 
stayed round here indefinitely.” 

“Then he has some money, I suppose.” 

“Of course he has. Why shouldn’t he have 
money! That fellow is old Tustenuggee him¬ 
self.” 

The head chief of all the Florida Seminoles! 

Roly showed that he was astonished. Had he 
been told that Tustenuggee was a friendless 
tramp, the news would have been more consis¬ 
tent with the appearance of the old man. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


93 


He vaguely wondered what connection, if any, 
there might be between the pretty dusky beauty 
who had drawn him from the quicksand and the 
rest of these unattractive Indians. Tom Tiger 
was sullen, greedy and vindictive looking, while 
Tustenuggee was positively repulsive in ap¬ 
pearance, though friendly enough, as it seemed. 

Were all the rest of them of similar unattrac¬ 
tiveness! If so, he did not care much whether 
his father brought back that young relative of 
the redoubtable Bowlegs or not. 

“I believe I’d rather he wouldn’t,” thought 
he, as he re-entered his skiff. “And yet that 
pretty girl must have some kinship with them. 
She was all right, that’s certain.” 

Roly tossed the package he had bought 
ashore on the island, and called out to the others 
that he was going up the Lockahachee for a half 
mile or so, to see if he could not get a shot at 
some curlews he had seen wending up stream 
towards the region of swamp that abutted on 
the scrub bordering the lighthouse mound. 

“You needn’t wait dinner,” he cried. “I’ll 


94 


FLORIDA LADS. 


eat a cold snack if I am back in time.” 

Ten minutes later he found himself rowing 
leisurely through a gloomy region of tussock, 
stagnant water and overlapping timber, as he 
left the main channel of the Lockahachee to ex¬ 
plore a side bayou that swept through the 
swamp behind the scrub-lined shell mound of 
Jupiter. 

He soon saw a gleam or two of white, as his 
presence disturbed the flock of curlews. These 
birds usually make their resting places in some 
retired spot such as this. Presently Roly ran 
the skiff alongside of a half-sunken log, made 
it fast, and crept forth into the swamp, rifle in 
hand. 

There was a sort of resonant solitude and op¬ 
pressive gloom about the place, that was very 
different from the cheery noise and glitter of 
the open river or the scrub beyond. Every 
sound seemed to acquire an added and forbid¬ 
ding emphasis from the prevaling silence reign¬ 
ing in the intervals between. What breeze there 
was swept high overhead in a sort of hardly 





Another flaw, even more furious, came whipping down over the mangroves 

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FLORIDA LADS. 


95 


perceptible monotone, that appeared to add to, 
rather than detract from, the general stillness 
below. 

As the boy cautiously advanced, the curlews, 
after alighting amid the moss-tangled limbs of 
a large live oak, suddenly became disturbed 
over something beneath them, which Roly, from 
his position, could not see. 

He hurriedly crawled towards the trunk of a 
fallen cypress to secure a shot, but, as he peered 
over the log, the birds flew upward with a soft 
flapping of wings. He was about to risk a 
charge of duck-shot at a venture, when, lower¬ 
ing his eyes, he saw a man lying prostrate on 
a half-decayed tree-trunk, whose inert and ap¬ 
parently lifeless attitude made him pause. 

It must be this which the curlews had seen. 
As the boy rose to obtain a better view, he saw 
something in the water beyond, which caused 
his heart to give a great bound. Then he hur¬ 
riedly exchanged the cartridge in his breech¬ 
loader, replacing it with one containing the 
largest size of buck-shot. 


96 


FLORIDA LADS. 


i1 It requires close shooting, ’ ’ he muttered. 
“But perhaps I can put one of these big shot 
in the creature’s eye.” 


CHAPTER IX. 


THE CURLEW OUT AT SEA. 

The man was an Indian, and was evidently 
either dead or asleep. His face was turned 
away, so that- Roland could not distinguish the 
features, but the pose of the rusty-looking fig¬ 
ure was so lifeless and relaxed, that the attitude 
might have been that of a corpse. 

Just beyond the man, the water of a narrow 
bayou crept up, seeming to reach to the further 
side of the log, which was a very large one. 

When standing, Roly could see the dark, 
knotted back of a huge alligator, not ten feet 
away from the motionless form. The saurian 
made no visible movement, yet the lad could dis¬ 
cern that it was stealthily nearing the object on 
which its narrow, dull eyes were bent. 

- 97 - 


98 


FLORIDA LADS. 


This was the prostrate Indian. It had not ap¬ 
parently noticed Roland, who moved cautiously 
to a position where he could shoot, without en¬ 
dangering the Seminole. 

The boy raised his gun, took careful aim, and 
the report swiftly followed, the bellowing echoes 
swirling away in waves on every side. 

There was a sudden and violent churning of 
water, and the Indian sat up, as if aroused by 
an electric shock. He glanced at the dying 
‘ ‘ ’gator,’ ’ then, seeing Roly approaching, he 
rose and grasped his hand. 

‘ 1 Good! good! good ! 9 9 he exclaimed, energeti¬ 
cally. “ White boy good shot. Tustenuggee fall 
’sleep. Too much fire-water. Good shot. 
Incah!’ ’ 

Sure enough it was the ragged old fellow who 
had excited Roland’s pity at the lighthouse. 
But the old man was sober now, and doubtless 
fully appreciated the service done him by Roly, 
whose hand he shook heartily, uttering the while 
many expressions of his gratitude, in his quaint, 
dipt English. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


99 


“Oh, that is nothing much!” protested Roly, 
at length. “You would have done as much for 
me, I am sure.” 

“Yah, yah!” Tustenuggee nodded, vigor¬ 
ously. ‘ 4 White hoy make a great warrior, some 
time. Tustenuggee no forget—no forget!” 

“You ought to rejoin your people now,” said 
Roly, sagely “They may wonder what has be¬ 
come of you.” 

Tustenuggee smiled, in a sly way. 

“My people never lose chief.” He surveyed 
his dilapidated garments, knowingly. “Go 
’mong pale face. Pale face get all money—all! 
Tustenuggee no got even one chalk. Up here he 
is nobody; but down in everglade” — he 
thumped his breast significantly—“in ever¬ 
glade, Tustenuggee big chief!” 

He took from his dirty red turban a small 
hawk’s foot, curiously adorned with beads. This 
he thrust into Roly’s hands, saying: 

“Keep him. Tustenuggee give great medi¬ 
cine. Seminole think heap of that medicine— 
everywhere. Must go—must go now,” 

I L.ofC. 


100 


FLORIDA LADS. 


He again seized Roly’s hand, wrung it with 
great cordiality, and started off so hurriedly 
that Roland, who would have spoken more, 
could only stare at his fast receding back and 
long, streaming hair. But instead of making 
for the near-by scrub toward the lighthouse, the 
old Indian hopped lightly from tussock to tus¬ 
sock and along logs and bayou banks, until he 
disappeared in the recesses of the swamp in a 
westerly direction. 

“I must be a fool!” muttered the boy, dis¬ 
contentedly. “ Why did I not ask him about 
Tom Tiger and that pretty little dark-haired 
girl! I ought to have told him we were going 
down to the everglades. But he jabbered so 
fast and his eyes twinkled so keenly that I must 
have forgotten. I bet he knows me if we ever 
meet again.” 

Presently Roland set about drawing the dead 
alligator to the bank, which he accomplished 
with a long, hooked limb. The creature was 
fully ten feet long, and the boy could only drag 
out the great head, as the body was too weighty 


FLORIDA LADS. 


101 


as it rested on the bottom of the slough. He 
pried open the mouth, and with the anchor of 
the skiff knocked out several of the largest 
teeth. 

Then he gathered up his belongings and 
rowed away, while already the buzzards were 
beginning to gather. 

“I suppose the hide would be worth some¬ 
thing,” he thought; “but I don’t know how to 
skin the brute. Billy or Jim can come after it, 
if they want to. I’ve had enough of this 
swamp. ’ ’ 

When he related his adventures to the others, 
his father was a little put out that Roly should 
not have tried to detain the chief. 

“It might have simplified matters regarding 
that grandchild whom he wants me to have edu¬ 
cated. We could have talked the matter over. 
Did he ask who you were ? ” 

“No; but he looked at me as if he saw clean 
through me. He gave me this.” 

Roly pulled out the hawk’s foot, which was 
passed round for general examination. 


102 


FLORIDA LADS. 


‘ ‘ Well, lie will know yon if he ever sees yon 
again. These Indians don’t give much heed to 
names, except snch as they bestow on them¬ 
selves and others. We will keep that ‘medi¬ 
cine,’ as he calls it. It may procure us some 
favors in the everglades. But if his protege is 
as disreputable as he seems to be from your 
description, I may have to decline the honor of 
burdening myself with the child, notwithstand¬ 
ing the dealings said to have taken place be¬ 
tween old Bowlegs and my father.” 

“Do you want that ’gator hide, Billy?” asked 
Roly of the young Seminole. 

But Billy shook his head. 

“Buzzard after him now. Billy might see 
Tustenuggee. No want to see him. Billy stay 
here.” 

It was evident that Billy had no great desire 
to entrust himself to the forgiving mercies of 
his old chief at present. Probably he had good 
reasons for being cautious. 

The next morning, Baya, after a sage look at 
the clouds and the weather, pronounced it a fa- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


103 


vorable time for crossing the bar; so they 
dropped down to the inlet with everything 
ready, and about noon, when the ebb tide had 
set, the Curlew passed between the two sand 
spits and headed for a narrow opening where 
the breakers were less vigorous than on either 
side. This was the channel. 

The wind was light from the west, with a 
probability of its springing up in the east later 
on. A few white patches of cloud were sailing 
in from the ocean, very high up, and the sur¬ 
face of the sea was of a greenish brown, with 
indigo touches here and there. 

The Curlew was a good sea boat, notwith¬ 
standing the accident of her recent capsize, 
which may occur at times to anything small that 
carries a sail'. 

Baya understood his business, and put her 
through the three lines of moderate breakers 
without any mishap other than the wetting of 
Bert by a bucketful of spray that dashed over 
the counter as they emerged upon the gently 
heaving surface beyond the bar. 


104 


FLORIDA LADS. 


The centreboard was shoved down as they 
headed down the low, sandy coast, with the un¬ 
reefed sail slightly hauled in, yet free enough 
to enable them to make five or six miles an hour. 

Roly got out some tackle and amused himself 
trolling for Spanish mackerel. Bert took a 
turn at the tiller now and then, while Mr. Ar- 
rowsmith passed the. time with a book as he re¬ 
clined on a thwart amidships, with his head on 
the dashboard of the gunwale. Billy Keywest 
sat cross-legged on the forward deck, mending 
an old pair of deer-skin trousers. 

“When go to everglade,” he explained, 
“Billy wear buckskin. Seminole no like cloth. 
Too much like woman. ’ ’ 

Roly laughed at this ludicrous comparison. 

“Why, Billy,” said he, “you will soon be 
quite an authority in the matter of dress. When 
your people take you back, I hope you will make 
old Tustenuggee do a little better in that line.” 

“Big chief dress just as he want. Little man 
have to put all he got on his back. That the way 
to get along.” 


FLORIDA LADS. 


105 


“I reckon there are many white folks that 
hold to yonr view, Billy. I don’t say that it’s 
the best way, though. ” 

Billy did not commit himself further, but 
sewed away in grim silence. 

About one o’clock the party ate a cold din¬ 
ner, during which they beheld a long trail of 
smoke and the gradually rising hull of a Ha¬ 
vana steamship bearing northward, just inside 
the western edge of the Gulf Stream, which here 
closely approaches the Florida coast. 

She passed them in a stately, gliding way two 
miles to windward, looking very large and ma¬ 
jestic beside their own diminutive craft. 

“Suppose we get aboard, Bert, and strike for 
New York, instead of Miami,” remarked Roly. 

“You might never see your dusky charmer 
again in that case,” replied Bert, somewhat 
satirically. “Not that I think so much of her 
alleged beauty, though.” 

“Alleged beauty!” Roly’s accent was droll 
and scornful. “The trouble with you, Berty, is 
that you are envious. It isn’t every day a fel- 


106 


FLORIDA LADS. 


low gets pulled out of a quicksand by a pretty 
girl. Besides, I never said she was dusky. She 
was what one might call a—a rather dark 
brunette. ’ ’ 

But the idea of a Seminole brunette was too 
much for Bert. He fairly roared, and Roly 
looked quite aggrieved. Mr. Arrowsmith 
glanced up from his book. 

“Now, boys!” he cautioned. “You forget, 
Bert, that the girl may not be a Seminole. Roly 
doesn’t know. By-the-way, Baya, what is that 
singular appearance on the ocean towards the 
east?” 

“Change of wind, sir,” replied the guide, 
looking back at the northern horizon. “Don’t 
it seem to you that the air is getting cooler?” 

“Yes. I was just thinking‘of looking up my 
overcoat. I suppose it is hardly likely to come 
from ahead.” 

Baya again scrutinized the ocean to their 
rear, and told Billy to take a look at the 
weather. 

The Seminole rose to his feet, caught the mast 


FLORIDA LADS. 


107 


as the boat sank and rolled on the long, unbreak¬ 
ing swells, and gazed keenly about him. Then 
he pointed at the advancing line of darker 
water in the east, and slowly swept his arm 
around toward the north, where a low-gather¬ 
ing haze began to be perceptible. 

“East wind first/’ he said, sententiously. 
“Norther comes next—after while/’ 

“That’s just what I fear, sir,” observed 
Baya. “We may be going to have a norther. 
It looks and feels that way. We have ’em in 
November sometimes, you know.” 

This was not reassuring, for all of them were 
familiar with the force and fury with which 
these wintry winds, even in fair weather, at 
times develop themselves. 

The steamship was rapidly receding, urging 
her great bulk directly toward the coming, 
though yet invisible, terror. She did not mind, 
but with a small boat it would be different. 

“We shall have to run in at Lake Worth, 
won’t we?” asked Bert, who was steering. 

“If we can; but”—and the guide looked seri- 


108 


FLORIDA LADS. 


ous—“we may not be able to, unless we get op¬ 
posite the bar before the wind sets hard. Yon 
see, it’s a bad bar to cross at best. Water shal¬ 
low and the channel filling np. That is what 
they say. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ But suppose the norther should break in its 
full strength before we reach that inlet 1 We 
must be two hours sail from there, at least.’’ 

Mr. Arrowsinith’s face grew long as he spoke, 
for he was a nervous sort of sailor. Baya 
shrugged his shoulders. 


CHAPTER X. 

A FLORIDA NORTHER. 

Everyone except Billy appeared to hang anx¬ 
iously on the Minorcan's reply. The Seminole 
had stretched himself out, and was looking in¬ 
differently at the low, interminable stretch of 
coast hardly a mile away. 

“We will either have to keep at sea until we 
reach New River, where there is a good bar to 
cross, or—" he swept his arm suggestively to¬ 
wards the shore. 

“Beach her—do you mean!" asked Bert. 

“Yes. We might lose the boat, and we may 
save ourselves. It don't make much difference 
where. When the sea gets up all places would 
be the same for the Curlew." 

“It would be a pity for you to lose your 
boat." 


- 109 - 


110 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“I have already lost two. When this Atlantic 
gets his back up, he no care for boats much. ’ ’ 

The only thing that seemed best to do was to 
get on as fast as possible towards Lake Worth 
Inlet, hoping, meanwhile, that the threatened 
norther might be either delayed sufficiently to 
enable them to reach their shelter, or, if it 
came, that the wind might not rise as suddenly 
as it was feared that it would. 

A wintry norther in those latitudes is at times 
an uncertain quantity. Usually, however, it 
blows with great force, causing large vessels to 
double reef and stow their lighter sails, and 
sending smaller craft scudding to the nearest 
shelter. 

The westerly breeze died away, but almost 
immediately, the approaching wind from the 
east caused the sail to swing landward, and as 
it stiffened steadily the Curlew, heeling well to 
leeward, bowled along at a livelier pace than 
before, though on hardly so free a course. 

But little was said now, as the attention of all 
was directed to the thickening haze in the north, 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Ill 


which seemed to approach silently, while the 
chill in the air increased. 

The scattering clonds were banking tiiem- 
selves behind, changing to darker hues as they 
approached the surface of the sea. The east 
wind began to come fitfully, with accompanying 
flaws of uneven strength. 

Along the shore the surf broke into a more 
dismal moaning, as if the sea were cognizant of 
an unwelcome change which it was powerless to 
prevent. At last the sun was somehow dimmed, 
as if an invisible substance was being interposed 
between its radiance and the lower air. 

Spidery filaments, almost indefinable at first, 
were spreading themselves over the ocean, the 
first effect of which was to contract the range 
of the visible horizon. 

Then with a few final struggles the east wind 
died away, and the Curlew’s sail swung half 
idly to and fro, as one baffling current after an¬ 
other vexed their progress and increased the 
nerveless pitching of the boat. 

“How far are we now, Jim!” asked Bert, 


112 


FLORIDA LADS. 


without naming the inlet. “Will we make it, 
do you think V’ 

“Must he eight or nine mile. It will be a close 
pull. All depends on the norther. We must 
reef. ’ ’ 

“Why, there is scarcely a breath in the sail!” 
remarked Mr. Arrowsmith. 

“Be plenty in little while.” 

As he spoke, Baya motioned to Billy to 
slacken the throat and peak halyards. 

The others assisted, and presently the Curlew 
was bobbing about with a treble reef in her 
great sail, reducing it, as Roly said, to really 
disgraceful proportions. 

At this time the banking clouds and the haze 
seemed to unite their forces, and were advanc¬ 
ing so silently that the approach could only be 
detected by a gradual thickening all over the 
north as the coming gale developed its array. 

Every one felt nervous. The Curlew was 
pitching like a dead weight on the sullen swells. 

“I declare!” exclaimed Roly. “I wish it 
would hurry up and do something. It feels like 


FLORIDA LADS. 


113 


what I have read about the moments of waiting 
just before a battle is to begin. Don’t you—” 

“Listen!” interrupted Baya, pointing be¬ 
hind. “You can hear it coming. It is going to 
come heavy, too. All of you had better be ready 
to sit to windward. Mr. Bert, you may hold 
the main-sheet. Let Billy keep his hand on the 
peak halyard-cleec. We might have to lower 
the peak.” 

As the Curlew had a “top-lift” to hold up the 
boom, this source of extreme precaution could 
be taken in an emergency without causing the 
sail to dip so low as to be caught in the trough 
of the seas. 

The faint buzzing behind them, which Jim 
had called to their attention, grew hoarser and 
harsher. A dark line rapidly approached along 
the water, broken into thousands of little white 
foam-dots, that shone and dipped and glittered 
beneath the waning sunlight. The line of furi¬ 
ous wavelets came nearer, the muttering in¬ 
creased to a roar, then the wild norther burst 
over and around them like an onslaught of 


114 


FLORIDA LADS. 


charging bulls. 

The small sail cracked, filled and swung vio¬ 
lently out, while the Curlew, leaning to the blast 
until her gunwales dipped, came slowly up, 
trembling and reluctant, to her course, then 
spun along through the seething brine like a 
frightened bird without the power to rise sky¬ 
ward. 

Every one was on the high side, hats were 
jammed on more securely, while the cold, fierce 
wind surged and screamed about their ears. 
Jim leaned to his tiller, while Bert maintained 
a watchful grasp of the main-sheet, slacking up 
or drawing in as occasion required. Billy kept 
an eye on his halyard, and the other two looked 
nervously on, wishing that all hands were safely 
inside Lake Worth. 

At first the seas were lessened by the very 
force of the wind, but it was not long before the 
surface of the ocean began to hollow itself out 
into long, swiftly moving ridges, that con¬ 
stantly grew in height and space. Over and 
across these great undulations broke countless 


FLORIDA LADS. 


115 


prismatic sparklings, with larger crests at in¬ 
tervals that broke with sharp hissings. 

The spray from these was whipped over the 
persons of the party, and dashed into the hol¬ 
low of the sail with a sound like that of drop¬ 
ping shot. Overhead all was hazy now. The 
declining snn had apparently wrapped itself in 
a huge, fleecy roll, from whence his light bright¬ 
ened all things somewhat, yet did not warm. The 
mercury in Mr. Arrowsmith’s pocket thermom¬ 
eter fell several degrees, and that gentleman 
hunted up his overcoat. 

Putting this garment on was in itself no small 
task. For some time no word was spoken. The 
overpowering majesty of the elements awed 
them into silence, and the navigation of the boat 
was watched with breathless attention. Mile 
after mile was thus rapidly made, though as the 
billows increased in size, the laboring of the lit¬ 
tle boat grew more pronounced. 

11 When we go down, down in this way, I can¬ 
not see the shore until we rise on another wave 
again, ’ ’ said Roly, ‘ ‘ and then I feel as if I had 


116 


FLORIDA LADS. 


caught a glimpse of a distant friend. Wish we 
were there,” he added, after a pause. 

Mr. Arrowsmith said but little. He was begin¬ 
ning to feel slightly seasick. Bert, too, kept 
very quiet, while attending strictly to his duties 
with the main-sheet. But then, Bert was never 
a talkative lad. 

It took a good deal, however, to suppress the 
activity of Roly’s tongue. If Billy felt nervous, 
he certainly disguised it under an expression of 
stoicism that was really admirable as he sat by 
the peak halyard-sheet. Baya, absorbed in his 
steering, only cast now and then a wary eye to 
windward or along shore. 

“We cannot make the Lake Worth Inlet in 
this sea,” he remarked after a time, as he 
pointed towards the southwest. “There she 
lies!” 

“I don’t see any sign of an inlet,” replied 
Roland. 

‘ 4 That is just the trouble. When the sea gets 
up out here, the bar is so shallow that the surf 
breaks everywhere alike. There is the inlet, 


FLOEIDA LADS. 


117 


though, right abreast of that clump of cabbage 
palmettos. ’ ’ 

All hands looked, but nothing could be seen in 
front of the trees in question hut an unbroken 
line of rushing breakers. 

“Baya,” said Mr. Arrowsmith, slowly, “you 
have had more experience than the rest of us. 
You know the coast. You must do as you think 
best. Only do not run any unnecessary risks.” 

Jim rose to his feet, balancing himself 
adroitly, and took a careful survey of the shore 
and the northern horizon. 

As far as the eye could reach on either hand 
were an unbroken line of breakers. Above the 
mantling haze ragged wisps of swiftly flying 
clouds were appearing, that drove out of the 
north as if shot from belching artillery. The 
resonant sound of the billows was even more 
trying to hear than the lashing of the wind. 

Toward the Gulf Stream the ocean plain had 
resolved itself into a desert of ever-changing 
ridges, darkening and brightening, and dotted 
with countless white flashes, as the crests of the 


118 


FLORIDA LADS. 


long seas were dashed into spray by the gale 
and their own momentum. 

Baya sat down and reflected. At last he said: 

“I think we can keep out a while longer, sir. 
It isn’t getting any worse, and it may let up a 
little. If we find that we can’t make New River, 
we can beach the boat somewhere and take the 
chances. It won’t be any worse then than now, 
and I should like to save the Curlew, if pos¬ 
sible. ’ ’ 

“All right,” assented Mr. Arrowsmitli. “I 
rely on your judgment. Roly, my son, sup¬ 
pose you bail a little, then I will lie down.” 

The boy soon dipped out what water there 
was, and covered his father with a blanket, after 
the latter had laid himself down by the centre¬ 
board box. 

“Well, father,” he commented, “you have 
more nerve than I. I just couldn’t stay still 
down there with all this pitching and roaring 
going on. There is a rubber blanket, too. It 
will keep off the spray. I say, Bert, why don’t 
you say something to hearten us up a bit?” 


FLORIDA LADS. 


119 


; ‘ Give me a cracker and a slice of bacon, ’’ re¬ 
plied Bert. ‘ 1 1 am hungry. Eat a bite. It will 
hearten you up inside, and that is what you 
want. ’ 9 

Roly obeyed, but looked disgusted. He com¬ 
promised, however, on a slice of cold fried fish 
for himself. 

“You may be right, Bert. If father can 
sleep, we ought to be able to eat. Have a bite, 
father V 9 

But the mere idea of food was repulsive to 
Mr. Arrowsmith. He playfully shook his fist at 
his son. 

“Let me alone, all of you. If you must eat, 
don 9 t talk about it . 9 9 

This badinage raised a laugh and cheered 
them up a little. But as sunset approached, and 
the norther evinced no signs of weakening, Jim 
began to scan the shore more frequently. 

The task of steering was so ticklish a job that 
he would entrust no one else with the tiller. At 
times the slightest deviation might have caused 
them to swamp. 


120 


FLORIDA LADS. 


More than once Roly shivered as he saw some 
great wave coming after them as they sank into 
the troughs, and, as it reared toppling just abaft 
their stern, he would draw a quicker breath 
through his teeth. Then Jim, by some adroit 
manipulation of the rudder or a low command 
to Bert concerning the sail, would cause the 
Curlew to glide away from the impending dan¬ 
ger. The next moment they would be climbing 
the same billow as it passed them harmless, and 
presently the manoeuvre would be repeated. 

This was wearisome work. Jim’s lame foot 
bothered him some, but he was patient, and 
made no complaint. At last he pointed over the 
lee bow at the land. No one else could distin¬ 
guish aught but a universal sameness of sand 
and roaring breakers up and down the coast. 


CHAPTER XI. 

CROSSING THE BAR—BILLY *S BEAR HUNT. 

When the guide spoke, the sun had set, and 
the dreariness of a wild, fierce night was im¬ 
pending. 

“Yonder is New River Inlet,” said he. “It 
is our only chance to make the land without 
beaching.” 

“Can we go through?” asked Bert. “It all 
looks alike to me.” 

“We can try, Mr. Bert. At the worst, we 
have a better chance of getting ashore here than 
on the open beach. We may lose the boat. I 
cannot tell; but I see nothing more to do. Let 
Mr. Arrowsmith be waked up. If we have to 
take a barrel or two of water aboard, I guess 

he would rather be knowing when it comes.* 9 

- 121 - 


122 


FLORIDA LADS. 


But Mr. Arrowsmith was already awake. 
Roly helped him up. He was still seasick, but 
cool and quiet. 

“We must jibe,” continued Baya. “We can 
never go about in this sea, and with so little sail. 
Now, Billy,” to the Seminole, “when Mr. Bert 
hauls away on the sail, do you lower the peak 
slowly until I say for you to stop. All ready? 
So—steady now!” Baya was watching for a 
momentary lessening of the wind. “Now! 
Haul away, Mr. Bert. Don’t get your feet in 
the rope. Ease away, Billy. There! Get over 
on the high side all. Steady—steady!” 

While giving these directions, Baya had 
shoved the tiller down hard—hard, until, as the 
sail swung round, the Curlew suddenly leaned 
to the opposite side, with her gunwales hissing 
and the water combing upward to her very 
dashboard. 

It was a critical manoeuvre, hut Baya had 
carefully calculated the chances, and his orders 
were promptly obeyed by all. 

Billy lowered and rehoisted the peak, while 


FLORIDA LADS. 


123 


Bert managed the sail well, giving the sheet just 
the proper amount of slack, neither too much 
nor too little. 

When they raised their heads as the boom 
passed over, the Curlew was pointed directly 
for the beach, not over half a mile away. She 
now took the seas on her side, and the wind 
seemed to whistle louder than ever as it came 
half-facing their present course. She climbed 
and sank upon the surges, not unlike a bird with 
a crippled wing. 

“Up on the bow with you, Billy!” called 
Bava. “You know this inlet as well as I do. 
Mr. Roland, you will take the peak halyard.’’ 

These directions were silently obeyed. 

Billy Keywest, hooking his arm around the 
mast, shaded his eyes with one hand as he 
peered at the nearing line of breakers. 

“Boys,” spoke Mr. Arrowsmith, in a low 
tone, 4 ‘ I think we will pull through, but should 
we fill or capsize don’t bother about me. Save 
yourselves. You know I can swim.” 

Bert looked at his father gratefully, but in his 


124 


FLORIDA LADS. 


eye was a dissenting gleam. Roly was more 
outspoken. 

“Yon dear old governor!” he said. “Of 
course you can swim. Didn’t you teach both of 
us? But we are not going to leave you behind 
for all that. Are we, Bert!” 

What argument this might have led to be¬ 
tween father and sons was cut short by a warn¬ 
ing exclamation from Billy, who, by sundry mo¬ 
tions of his arm, which Bay a understood, indi¬ 
cated the direction to be followed by the boat. 

They were entering the outer line of breakers, 
and soon were in the midst of them. Angry 
combers, green in the dying sunlight, were 
breaking on every side. The sea was alive with 
hissing, snapping noises, and a tremendous 
bursting of white crests. 

What Billy or Baya saw to indicate that there 
was a channel there the others could not divine. 
Suddenly Roly uttered a cry of alarm. 

Just behind them a giant among the seething 
host was toppling over the stern. It seemed to 
tower ten feet over Baya’s head, but the guide 


FLORIDA LADS. 


125 


never turned. Billy motioned sharply to the 
left. Baya slightly shifted the tiller; then, as 
Roly expected the thundering mass to break 
over them, drowning everything, the Curlew 
glided like an eel into a short reach of smoother 
water beyond. The big billow had broken in an¬ 
other place. 

The second line of surges was also safely 
passed. The last one, nearest the shore, did not 
seem so dangerous as the others. Perhaps this 
idea might have rendered Baya or Billy a little 
less watchful. 

At sight of a gleam of smooth water ahead, 
with the bite of the inlet beyond, Roly gave a 
preliminary sigh of relief. Then he caught his * 
breath, alarmed. The Curlew appeared to halt 
tauntingly, as it were, just before the last 
breaker. The challenge was seemingly accepted. 

There was a shivering blow against the Cur¬ 
lew’s side, and in the next instant the whole 
party were deluged. The boat staggered, then 
tilted, half full of swirling water, and tottered 
on through the inlet. 


126 


FLOBIDA LADS. 


Boly, drenched and frightened, was bailing 
furiously in an instant. He expected another 
one to follow. 

“You needn’t hurry so,” laughed Bert. 
“We’re all right now.” 

True enough. They had passed the last 
breaker, and had saved the boat. But Boly kept 
on bailing. 

“We don’t want this water aboard,” said he. 
“I am afraid the grub is spoiled again.” 

Had this accident happened a little further 
out, Bay a told them that the Curlew would cer¬ 
tainly have floundered. The next breaker they 
could not have avoided, and it would have 
buried them deep. 

A few moments later they were gliding past 
the sandhills toward a sheltered cove not far 
away, where a narrow line of hummock growth 
kept off the wind, although the ocean was but a 
short distance off across the dunes. 

By the time a fire was kindled and the coffee 
water on, they all felt better despite their wet 
clothes. Indeed, no one minded the drenching 


FLORIDA LADS. 


127 


much unless it was Mr. Arrowsmith. For a man 
of his age and habits the repeated wettings of 
the trip were rather trying. 

Supper was cooked and eaten while the things 
were drying. The bedding was not much damp, 
as the rubber bag containing it was snatched 
up just as the wave came aboard. 

Billy made Mr. Arrowsmith’s bed at once, 
and stretched his mosquito bar, which had a 
water-proof top. Then the old gentleman re¬ 
tired, as did Baya, soon thereafter. But the 
others sat late, drinking strong coffee, listening 
to the furious howl of the norther on the beach, 
and quizzing Billy about his dandyfied ways and 
the tribal difficulties they had brought him into. 

This good-humored badinage Billy bore com¬ 
posedly, as he combed his long hair and pol¬ 
ished several silver ornaments which he was 
fond of wearing. At last he got up to go to bed. 

“Billy no fool,” he remarked. “You laugh 
now. Mebbe Billy laugh by-um-by.” 

“All right,” said Roly; “if you do get the 
joke on me, I won’t cry. But rememeber, Billy, 


128 


FLORIDA LADS. 


you must be fair.’ ’ 

“Yah! Wait till get in everglade. Billy big 
man there.’’ 

“How about old Tustenuggee!” 

Billy winced at this, but recovered gaily. 

‘ 1 Tustenuggee no good. Old man—Billy no 
afraid.” 

“I think Billy means to make his peace with 
his tribe, if possible, while on this trip,” said 
Roly. “They won’t be apt to bother him while 
he is with us. What a vain, good-natured little 
dude he is! I say, Bert, let us put up a job on 
him. Get old Tustenuggee to give him a mock 
trial, or something that will about scare him 
half to death. ’ ’ 

“I don’t really think Billy will scare so very 
easy. Suppose we go to bed. Bay a will have 
us out horribly early, I know.” 

After lying down, the idea of getting another 
joke on Billy seemed to tickle Roly hugely. He 
laughed to himself until Bert administered a 
kick. 

“Go to sleep,” muttered the older brother. 


FLOEIDA LADS. 


129 


“This isn’t a circus—yet.” 

About daylight all hands were awakened by 
the report of a gun close to the camp. 

“What’s that?” asked Mr. Arrowsmith, sit¬ 
ting up under his mosquito bar. 


CHAPTER XII. 


AFTER THE DEVIL FISH. 

An answer to Mr. Arrowsmith’s question 
came in the sound of a loud call some distance 
away. As the sleepers crawled from under 
their bars they saw a man waving his arms upon 
a sand ridge beyond the stretch of hummock. 

“It is the Seminole,’’ said Baya. “He wants 
help about something. If I wasn’t lame—” 

“I’ll go,” interrupted Bert, pulling on his 
boots. 

“I, too,” said Roly, reaching for his gun. 

And the two boys ran half dressed towards 
the motioning figure, dimly outlined against the 
dawn. Soon afterwards they all disappeared 
in the direction of the ocean beach. Presently 
they returned, each with a load of turtle eggs 

- 130 - 


FLORIDA LADS. 


131 


in their hats and Billy’s coat, which he had 
drawn oft for the purpose. The Indian was la¬ 
boring under some suppressed excitement. As 
he reloaded his rifle, he explained: 

“Saw bear. Bear after turtle eggs. Billy 
shoot. Bear get away. Only one load in gun. 
One shot no good.” 

“If we only had a dog, father, we might have 
bear meat for dinner yet,” said Roly. “Why 
didn’t you aim better, Billy $ ’ 9 

But Billy only shrugged his shoulders. He 
had done his best and found a bushel of turtle 
eggs that the bear had not yet eaten. 

“These are not bad by any means,” said Mr. 
Arrowsmith. “Ever make any turtle egg 
bread, Baya?” 

It appeared that both Jim and Billy were 
familiar with the various uses to which turtle 
eggs can be put on a Florida camp hunt. Soon 
Billy was separating the yolks from the whites, 
throwing away the latter, as it is impossible to 
cook this part of the egg. Instead of water, 
eggs were lavishly used in making up the bread 


132 


FLORIDA LADS. 


dough, while a dozen or more were fried and 
poached. 

1 6 What a pity we can’t find a peck or so of 
these things every day as we go along!” com¬ 
mented Roly, over his breakfast. “It would be 
like carrying our hen yard with us; only I don’t 
somehow fancy the soft shells. ’ 9 

“You are not obliged to eat the shells, son,” 
smiled his father. 

“Oh, the eggs are good enough! But I should 
have liked it better if Bert and Billy had se¬ 
cured a crack at that bear.” 

“Billy got one,” said Bert, whereat Billy 
looked at them piteously, as if entreating for¬ 
bearance. 

“Billy do better next time,” he assured. 

‘ ‘ If your gun happens to have more than one 
load in it, eh!” 

“Take Winchester next time,” was the pithy 
answer. 

And after that Billy always hunted with the 
Winchester he already looked upon as his. 

Breakfast over, a consultation was held. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


133 


The weather looked like rain, and it was deter¬ 
mined to alter the proposed route to the ever¬ 
glades somewhat, for the reason that Mr. Ar- 
rowsmith declared he had had quite enough of 
outside sailing on the Curlew, provided it could 
be avoided without too greatly delaying their 
journey. 

Bert told Roly that he rather preferred going 
down the coast, but if the governor was nervous, 
that ended the matter. Roly agreed, but pri¬ 
vately congratulated himself on the change. 

He was not very fond of northers and the 
crossing of bars in a small boat. It kept one too 
much upon a strain. Shooting alligators was 
preferable. Even a moderate quicksand, with 
a pretty girl at the other end of it, was hardly 
as trying as several hours of not knowing 
whether you were going to sink or float—at least 
the strain did not last so long. 

Billy announced that they could penetrate to 
the everglades as easily from the head waters 
of New River as from the Miami down at Bis- 
cayne Bay. He likewise averred that they 


134 


FLORIDA LADS. 


would pass by the isolated spot to which he had 
been exiled by his tribe. 

There was a canoe there that might be ser¬ 
viceable. They would have to use canoes in the 
everglades. Not much else, he said, unless it 
was something to keep the “gators’’ away from 
their camps. 

What brought round the boys to this way of 
journeying more than anything else, aside from 
considerations of their father’s comfort, was 
the news that Billy also knew of two or three 
roosting islands, where pelicans, curlew and 
other water fowl congregated in great numbers. 

“See pink curlew there,” asserted Billy, as 
a clincher. “See blue heron, paroquet, white 
pelican, all kind.” 

Billy threw out his hands in a suggestive ges¬ 
ture. As Baya did not dissent from any of 
these previsional statements, it was concluded 
that he saw nothing objectionable in them. So 
the matter was settled. 

As the weather was threatening, the Seminole 
was directed to put up a small wall-tent they 


FLORIDA LADS. 


135 


had along. Mr. Arrowsmith said that it would 
hardly be wise to start with a promise of rain 
in the air. 

“They used to be some devil-fish off this 
bar,” observed Baya, who was cleaning his rifle. 
4 ‘ That norther has about played out. Suppose 
we try and catch one. What you say, Mr. 
Bert?” 

Nothing could have suited Bert better, but 
the Arrowsmith boys, having read up on the 
subject of the octopus, were doubtful of their 
ability to manage a full-fledged devil-fish at the 
end of a hook—that is, supposing it could be 
induced to attach itself thereto. 

‘ ‘ Devil-fish ain’t very large about here, ’’ said 
the guide. “You don’t use hook, use rag.’’ 

“Rag!” ejaculated Roly. “What are you 
giving us, Jim?” 

“You and Mr. Bert go with me,” was Baya’s 
terse response; 4 ‘ I show you. But first we want 
an empty barrel, one with both heads out. 
Billy, run down to the inlet and dig out that one 
we saw just inside the bite. It may do.” 


136 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Billy disappeared. Then a piece of stout can¬ 
vas a foot square was fastened to a coil of spare 
line, and the sails of the Curlew hoisted. 

“Won’t you go, father?” asked Bert, as they 
were about to push off. It will be great fun.” 

But Mr. Arrowsmith concluded he would rest 
that day. He did not want to risk an unneces¬ 
sary wetting, and he had a hand-book on the 
shell mound-builders h*e wished to glance at a 
little. There was one of these mysterious af¬ 
fairs near their present camp, and the sight of 
it reminded him of one of his favorite branches 
of antiquarian research. 

At the inlet Billy tumbled a wet, sodden flour- 
barrel aboard, that had been cast from some 
passing vessel weeks before, and had found a 
lodgment in the sands of the beach. They 
passed through the breakers without trouble, 
as the wind had gone down during the night, 
and the ocean was calm. 

It looked showery in the southwest, and at 
intervals clouds obscured the sun. But on the 
whole, things, as Baya said, looked favorable 


FLORIDA LADS. 


137 


for octopus fishing. 

The Seminole had returned to camp. Beyond 
the bar a mild dead swell was still setting down 
the coast. It was the last dying influence of the 
norther. At a distance of half a mile from 
shore the guide instructed Bert to make short 
tacks up and down the coast, going in or out as 
he might direct. He himself, with Roly’s aid, 
had meanwhile rigged up a sort of outstanding 
boom from a spar they had also picked up on 
the beach. This was lashed to a thwart in such 
a manner as to project far out over the side. At 
the outer end a single block had been attached, 
through which ran the line with the hit of can¬ 
vas at the end. 

When the preparations were complete, Baya 
lashed the barrel to the rail in such a way that 
the lower end was deeply submerged. 

“Want to take a look?” he said to Roly. 

Roly thrust his head into the upper end, and 
was surprised to see how distinctly the bottom 
of the sea could he seen, notwithstanding the 
depth of water below. 


138 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“Let me look for a while, Jim,” said he, 
highly delighted. “It is all sand here, but it 
looks pretty and smooth.” 

So while Roland inspected the ocean floor, 
Bay a stowed the fish-line into a convenient coil 
and instructed Bert to keep the sail just slack 
enough to cause the Curlew to move slowly, 
varying the pressure of the gentle breeze ac¬ 
cording to its uneven strength. 

The anchor was also arranged, so that if nec¬ 
essary it could he softly dropped over the bow, 
and the halyards so fastened that the sail could 
be lowered in an instant. 

Then the gradual examination of the bottom 
went on for some time without anything being 
discovered, except an occasional shark or other 
large fish, their silently waving shadows cast¬ 
ing strange reflections on the sand beneath. 

Baya presently thrust his head into the barrel 
to see if all was going on right below. Then he 
cautioned Roly to be watchful. 

“Devil-fish look like a big spider,” he said. 
“Lay on the bottom with his arms going—so.” 


FLORIDA LADS. 


139 


He illustrated the play of the octopus’ tenta¬ 
cles by a slowly waving motion of his fingers. 

Roly felt somewhat excited. This was an en¬ 
tirely new kind of sport to both boys, with a de¬ 
licious suggestion of danger therein, just vague 
enough to keep their interest keenly alive. 

Bert, though less demonstrative, performed 
his part of the task creditably, and kept the Cur¬ 
lew barely moving. Jim was to manage the 
line, the sail and the anchor. 

At last Roly uttered .an exclamation, motion¬ 
ing for Bert to slacken the main sheet. Bay a 
took a look into the barrel, then nodded his head 
satisfactorily. 

He at once lowered the line, which, in addi¬ 
tion to the canvas rag, had sufficient lead at¬ 
tached to sink the latter to the bottom. Several 
fathoms were payed out when Roly withdrew 
his head. 

4 ‘What a pity!” he exclaimed. “The thing 
has disappeared.” 

“Let me look,” said Baya. “Here, you take 
the line.” 


140 


FLORIDA LADS. 


When the guide peered through the open cyl¬ 
inder he saw a dark, clond-like substance slowly 
spreading itself over the bottom of the sea. 

The octopus could not be seen. Bert was told 
to resume his course, and Baya went back to 
his line. 

“ Something scared him off,” said he. 
‘ ‘ Mebbe we have better luck next time. ’ 9 

“But what did the creature do?” asked Bert. 
“I would like to take a look myself.” 

So Bert was allowed to place himself at the 
barrel while Baya steered, telling Roly at the 
same time how to manage the line and bait if 
another one should be sighted. But for a good 
while nothing was seen of any consequence. 

Then it began to rain. The boys drew on 
their mackintoshes, and Baya wrapped himself 
in a blanket. 

“That devil-fish is a cunning fellow,” said 
the guide. “When he sees something he don’t 
like he throws out a lot of inky fluid. Then he 
goes to another place while you cannot see him 
at all . 91 


FLORIDA LADS. 


141 


Here the sun came out, and the shower ceased 
as suddenly as it had begun. All at once Bert 
looked up. 

“Ease away on the sail,” he cautioned, in a 
sharp, quick tone. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

manatee zeke appears. 

Baya allowed the sheet he held to hang loose, 
and the sail hnng shivering. The line was slow¬ 
ly lowered, and Bert quickly changed places 
with the guide, who, from the barrel, directed 
the subsequent proceedings. 

Bert had discovered a large octopus for these 
waters. As luck would have it, the Curlew lay 
almost motionless over the spot, for the wind 
was a mere zephyr, and there was no current or 
leeway to change their position. 

As the glaring white rag approached the bot¬ 
tom within a few feet of the great, spidery 
thing, whose body was motionless on the bottom, 
Roly was told to give the line a series of short, 
sharp jerks. At the same time, Bert manipu- 

- 142 - 


FLORIDA LADS. 


143 


lated the rudder in such a way, under Baya’s 
guidance, that the bait was not suffered to come 
within reach of the creature as long as it re¬ 
mained fast on the bottom. 

So great is the power of the suction disks lin¬ 
ing the under side of its tentacles that it would 
be impossible to loosen its anchorage. 

“Be very careful, boys,” whispered Baya. 
“The thing is getting excited. Jerk a little 
harder on the line. Sheer off just a trifle. 
There—there!” 

As the bobbing whiteness aggravated its cu¬ 
riosity, the octopus evinced its increasing inter¬ 
est by the tremulous play of its tentacles, until 
Baya grew excited. 

“He’s having all the fun to himself.” grum¬ 
bled Roly. “We can’t see a thing. I say, 
Jim— ” 

At that instant the devil-fish made a sudden 
dart forward, and the bit of waving white beiow 
disappeared within the snap of its beak-like 
jaws. 

“Haul away!” shouted the Minorcan, as he 


144 


FLORIDA LADS. 


rose and laid hold of the line. “Haul away 
hard. They will never let go.” 

So they hauled away for dear life, until the 
boat reeled from side to side under the impetus. 
Some thirty feet or so of the line were out, and 
the drawing up took a little time. Bay a had 
his back turned, when he saw Roly’s face light¬ 
en with amazement and disgust. 

“Look, Bert!” he cried. “What a horrible 
mess! ’ ’ 

The end of the outrigged boom was perhaps 
four feet from the water’s edge. And now a 
huge, squirming organism, all arms and ten¬ 
tacles, was emerging from the deep. As its 
weight reached the surface, the Curlew began 
to careen so that the three had to place them¬ 
selves on the further rail in order to bring the 
octopus above the water. 

As it was, the lower part of its body dipped 
and churned about as it hung wriggling. But, 
strange to say, it never appeared to think of 
' loosening its grip on the canvas. 

Two of. its eight arms laid hold of the spar, 


FLORIDA LADS. 


145 


while the others felt slowly about through the 
air. The large, rolling, saucer-like protuber¬ 
ances that passed for its eyes fixed the captors 
with a corpse-like stare that sent a cold shiver 
down the boys’ backs. The mouth was curved 
and beakish, not unlike that of a parrot manv 
times magnified. The whole aspect of the thing 
was intensely hideous and repulsive. 

“I wonder they call them devil-fishes,” 
muttered Roly. “Well, what are we to do with 
him? Won’t he never turn loose that hit of 
canvas ? ’ ’ 

“.Never,” said Baya, “until we make him. 
“Devil-fish never give up anything. This is a 
pretty big one; hut not so big as I have seen 
down among the Keys. Saw one off Tortuga 
twice so big.” 

“He is large enough to suit me. Let’s give 
him a charge of buckshot.” 

“No, I manage him.” 

And the guide dexterously cast another coil 
of rope in such a way that it was instantly 
grasped by two or three more of the searching 


146 


FLORIDA LADS. 


arms. 

Then, instructing both Roly and Bert to sit 
upon the opposite end of a spar, he loosened 
the lashings and began to haul in the rope, caus¬ 
ing the octopus to be pulled toward the bow. 

While this manoeuvre was being carried out, 
Bert, happening to glance towards the south, 
suddenly announced: 

“Baya, there is a squall coming. It will be 
on us in a minute. What shall we do?” 

The guide looked up and took in the new dan¬ 
ger at once. 

“Make fast that spar again,” he said. 
“Don’t rise Until it is lashed. Give this fellow 
a foot the advantage, he will drag the spar over¬ 
board. Lively now, boys*! Bert, now you take 
the tiller.” 

While speaking, Jim had taken a turn of his 
own rope around the foot of the mast, the oc¬ 
topus still holding to the other end. Then he 
lowered the peak and told Bert to head for the 
inlet, which was now about a third of a mile to 
the right. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


147 


When the squall struck the Curlew a moment 
later, she heeled well over, hoisting the octopus 
high on the windward side and taking it entirely 
out of the water for the first time. 

“It’s a terror!” exclaimed Roly, who was 
now manipulating the main sheet. “The body 
must be over four feet long—arms twice that. 
U-g-h-h! If he ever got hold of a fellow!’ 9 

“You would have to chop him loose ,’ 9 re¬ 
plied Baya, who was engaged in enticing the 
creature to seize hold of a boat-hook with his 
remaining arms, 6 ‘ Keep your eye on that 
squall, Mr. Bert. We don’t want another cap¬ 
size.” 

Bert was equal to the emergency. With her 
peak lowered, the Curlew presented but a small 
lug to the short, sharp rush of the squall. 

Before the sea rose they were spinning across 
the bar and into the inlet at racehorse speed, 
with their ugly trophy dangling in the air, much 
to the astonishment of Mr. Arrowsmith and a 
strange man, who were walking the beach, just 
inside the bite. 


148 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Baya had taken the tiller, and he now sheered 
closely to the south spit, which curved out to 
the channel, and brought his boat up into the 
wind, so near the land that the spar and the 
octopus overhung the low, sandy shore. 

Bert leaped out with the anchor, which he 
planted firmly, having previously taken a short 
turn round the capstan with the rope. The 
guide followed more slowly, bearing an axe. 
As his foot still bothered him, he gave it to Roly, 
hut the boy hardly knew how to go at the task 
of execution. 

“Suppose it turns loose one of those long 
arms and grabs me ?” he suggested. “It’s like 
one of these trusts the newspapers talk about. 
It doesn’t seem to want to let go.” 

“That is just it!” said Baya. “It won’t let 
go anything. See! All its arms and its mouth 
are full.” He pointed to the spar, boat-hook 
and the two lines. “It won’t drop them as long 
as it’s alive.” 

But Roly made so many ineffectual dabs and 
feints that Bert took the axe from his unwilling 


FLORIDA LADS. 


149 


hands, strode resolutely np and split the crea¬ 
ture’s head in twain. Even then it hardly re¬ 
laxed its hold. After life had departed, the 
clinging tentacles hung on with automatic per¬ 
sistence. 

Altogether, the boys were sick of the whole 
affair, and glad when it was ended. They left 
the octopus at length and crossed over to where 
Mr. Arrowsmith and the strange man, now re¬ 
inforced by Billy Keywest, were waiting. 

“I shall dream about that fellow,” said Roly, 
alluding to the result of their fishing. “What 
a pity we forgot your camera, Bert! It would 
have made a curious picture—that devil-fish.” 

Bert, though an amateur artist with his Ko¬ 
dak, had congratulated himself after the capsize 
that he had left his outfit at home. Yet a good 
view of that octopus, dangling at the end of the 
spar, wouldn’t have been a bad thing to show 
to home friends, and he joined with Roly in ex¬ 
pressions of regret. 

They were received by their father with 
rather a grave face. The stranger was intro- 


150 


FLORIDA LADS. 


duced as Manatee Zeke. He was a swarthy, 
grizzled, rough-featured man of fifty, or there¬ 
abouts, who clipped his English somewhat after 
the manner of the Seminoles. 

He turned out to be the half-breed who had 
delivered to Mr. Arrowsmith the message from 
Tustenuggee concerning the education of Bow 
Legs’ grandchild. 

Both Billy and Baya knew him, and he ex¬ 
plained that he was on the way to Lake Okee¬ 
chobee to attend the annual sugar-cane dance 
of the Seminoles, and had come round by New 
River, because 4 ‘ ’gators were heap plenty 
there. ’ ’ 

Zeke was an alligator hunter, it appeared. 
Many called him Alligator Zeke, leaving off the 
prefix “Manatee.” This cognomen had been 
given him by the Indians years ago, on account 
of his catching two large manatees, or sea-cows, 
for some white showmen who wanted them for 
exhibition purposes. 

After a few queries concerning the octopus, 
Mr. Arrowsmith took his sons by the arm and 


FLORIDA LADS. 


151 


dropped behind the three hunters as all were 
returning to camp. 

“Boys,” said he, “this man, whom I know to 
be trustworthy, gives me news that makes me 
uneasy. He says that an Indian has been killed 
below Miami by some wreckers who were 
ashore hunting. The wreckers departed with¬ 
out explaining matters, and the Indians blame 
the white settlers. These last repudiate all re¬ 
sponsibility for the deed, and refuse to either 
apologize or make amends in any way. One 
cannot blame their independence, as long as 
they are innocent. But, Indian-like, the Sem- 
inoles hold all white men vaguely responsible 
for such an outrage. If they cannot get hold 
of the real perpetrators, a second-hand retali¬ 
ation is to them better than none. A great 
council has been summoned at one of their ev¬ 
erglade retreats, and Zeke himself is on the way. 
He claims tribal allegiance, though he has asso¬ 
ciated with the whites. Indeed, I think his 
neighbors have urged him to go. They are 
alarmed, and they have confidence in his friend- 


152 


FLORIDA LADS. 


ship. He may be able to induce the Indians to 
refrain from any overt act of hostility.’ ’ 

“I wouldn’t be afraid of two or three hun¬ 
dred savages,’’ said Roly, scornfully. 

“Well, if you had a farm and a family totally 
exposed to a raid by any organized band, you 
might wish for help before help came,” com¬ 
mented Bert, significantly. “What is to hinder 
a squad of those red fellows from swooping 
down on every isolated family down here?” 

“The question for us is what had we better 
do?” 

As Mr. Arrowsmith asked this he lowered his 
voice almost to a whisper. 


CHAPTER XIV. 


OFF FOR THE EVERGLADES. 

Roland was always ready with a suggestion. 

“I say let us go on. They will hardly trouble 
us, will they! We haven’t hurt anybody; and, 
besides, we have got Billy along. If this Man¬ 
atee Zeke goes, too, I dare say the two can keep 
old Tustenuggee in a good humor. I’ve seen 
that old fellow, and he didn’t strike me as being 
very dangerous.” 

“What do you think, Bert!” asked their 
father, who appeared to place more confidence 
in the judgment of his oldest son than in Roly’s 
harum-scarum opinions. 

“I hardly know. It seems a pity to turn hack 
now when we are over the worst of our trip.” 

i 6 I scarcely like to run any unnecessary 


154 


FLORIDA LADS. 


risks/’ continued Mr. Arrowsmith. “These 
Indians, though friendly enough at ordinary 
times, are, after all, a wild and irresponsible 
set, I fear.” 

‘‘You know, father, our main errand is one 
of service to them. At least, Tustenuggee 
wants to see you about that child! ’ ’ 

“I wish we had seen him at Jupiter. Roly, 
you should have told him I was there. ’ ’ 

“I didn’t have time to think of it. After I 
shot the alligator, the old tramp' of a chief 
talked so fast and hurried off so soon that it 
slipped my mind entirely that you wanted to 
see him. When I did recall the matter, he was 
gone. ’ ’ 

“Well, boys, we will study over it to-night. 
We won’t start until morning at all events.” 

As the day continued to be showery at inter¬ 
vals, the party remained at the camp, cleaning 
up their weapons and accoutrements and other¬ 
wise making their belongings tidy. 

At the turn of the afternoon tide, the boys 
and Billy went fishing at the inlet, but they did 



FLORIDA LADS. 


155 


not have the good fortune that had attended 
them at Jupiter. The channel fish would not 
bite, but Billy caught a fine lot of mullet, which 
tasted just as well, when taken hot from the fry¬ 
ing pan at supper and breakfast. 

Manatee Zeke had a long dug-out canoe and 
a well-supplied larder of dried venison, fish, 
Irish potatoes and koomtie roots. These last 
are a wild, edible tuber, which, when grated and 
boiled, taste like the cultivated cassava of the 
tropics. It is used largely also in the manufac¬ 
ture of native starch. 

Zeke was a great coffee drinker, and, under 
the inspiration of several cups of the strong 
black fluid drained from the camp kettle after 
supper, gave his views of the situation as fol¬ 
lows : 

“Me good Seminole/’ he said, tapping his 
bosom significantly. ‘ ‘ Got white heart, though. 
Seminole no very bad when you take him right. 
Billy good Seminole. Billy got white heart, 
too. Incah! Very good. No use for you all to 
go back. What for? Got Manatee Zeke along 


156 


FLORIDA LADS. 


now.” 

This with an air as if his presence would ban¬ 
ish all thought of danger. Then he chuckled 
to himself. Suddenly looking up, he added, 
with great energy: 

“Zeke know Tustenuggee; Tustenuggee know 
Zeke. Zeke only half breed, but Zeke got Injun 
wife. We will go up New River; we will go up 
Alapatioka. In everglade we see Tustenuggee. 
He say, ‘Zeke, these your friends V Zeke say, 
‘Yes, mine—all mine.’ ” This at a pitch of pos¬ 
itive eloquence; when, suddenly dropping his 
voice as if the point were finally carried, ‘ ‘ Then 
we see great sugar-cane dance.” 

This appeared convincing enough to Baya 
and Billy, but Mr. Arrowsmith appeared to be 
absorbed in deep thought. 

Roly felt like applauding. He was inspect¬ 
ing Zeke’s long, ancient-looking rifle at the 
time, and he whispered to Bert: 

“I’ll bet that Zeke is a trump. He talks more 
than a full-blooded Seminole would. I say let 
us go on. If all these Indians carry such old- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


157 


fangled muzzle-loaders as this, we can clean out 
the whole outfit with our Winchesters.” 

“Don’t talk nonsense, Roly,” was Bert’s sen¬ 
sible rejoinder. 

Toward bedtime Zeke announced that he and 
Billy Keywest would go fire hunting. 

“Good time,” he said. “Fresh meat come 
in mighty handy.” 

So he fished out an old iron fire-basket on the 
end of a pole from his canoe, while the Semi¬ 
nole split up an armful of “fat” pine. 

Roly accompanied them as they went oft into 
the scrub. Both he and Billy carried Winches¬ 
ters. Zeke, out of compliment to Roly, allowed 
the latter to carry the pan first, he following 
with the wood to replenish the fire in the basket. 

The pole is carried over the shoulder, throw¬ 
ing the light behind, so that the reflection, cast 
into the eyes of any gazing deer, would show the 
glistening balls to the hunter, who, with his com¬ 
panions, could be but dimly seen. 

The party had been gone nearly an hour, 
during which Mr. Arrowsmith conversed with 


158 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Bert and Baya over the prospects for and 
against a continuation of the trip. At last a shot 
was heard, followed by two more in swift suc¬ 
cession. Then a faint cheer arose on the night 
air. 

“That’s Roly,” commented Bert. “He’s 
such a gump about some things. Now he will 
scare off any other deer that may be about, just 
because they have happened to hit one. ” 

Baya laughed, hut the father gently looked 
his disapproval of such criticism, which Bert 
noted. 

“Of course, father,” he added, “Roly is one 
of the best fellows in the world. I only referred 
to his pell-mell way of going at things now and 
then.—I suppose, however, that you will allow 
us to risk the chances of going on. I should 
hate to tell the folks at home we turned back, 
then find afterward that our alarm was useless. 
You see, there may be no uprising. When they 
consider the power of the whites, these Indians 
may reflect on the after results of such rash¬ 
ness. ’ ’ 


FLORIDA LADS. 


159 


“How do they know we are so powerful V 9 
said Mr. Arrowsmith. “Down here the only 
whites they ever see must seem pitifully weak 
in point of number. Yet you may be right. 
Some of their leaders have traveled. As long 
as you all seem to have confidence, I will not let 
my own fears make me unreasonable. We will 
start in the morning for the everglades.” 

“Right you are, father!” exclaimed Roly, 
rushing forward out of the gloom beyond the 
firelight. “I’d like to have another talking 
match with old Tustenuggee myself. ’ 9 

“And that pretty girl,” suggested Bert, 
slyly. 

“Oh, give us a rest on-girls!” retorted Roly, 
good naturedly. “Wait till you see what I have 
downed out yonder.” 

At this juncture Billy and Manatee Zeke ap¬ 
proached out of the darkness, having extin¬ 
guished their light in order to travel more rap¬ 
idly by the starlight. One of them threw down 
the body of a large wildcat. 

‘ ‘ He thought it was a deer , 9 9 said Zeke, point- 


160 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Ing at Roly. “I told him no, but he would 
shoot. ’ ’ 

Roly looked a little foolish, hut cheered up 
when Billy gravely announced: 

“ Big cat! big skin! Worth four chalks! ’ ’ 

“Well, a dollar isn’t so bad,” he said. “Is 
it, Billy?” 

“Venison better,” quoth Billy, discouraging- 
ly. “Better than nothing. Bad time for deer. 
Feed better when moon in the south. ’’ 

After this comment upon the habits of the 
Florida deer, all hands went to bed, and were 
pleased in the morning to find that the weather 
was clear, with a brisk, easterly wind, and the 
prospect of a good day ahead. 

Zeke, who was up very early, had speared a 
large cirvallie, one of the best of the larger fish 
on this coast for eating. It has no scales, and 
is not unlike an ocean trout, with its beautifully 
mottled skin and culinary savoriness. 

By nine o’clock the party were aboard and 
headed up a narrow reach among some man¬ 
grove islets, that soon led them into a broader 


FLORIDA LADS. 


161 


stretch of water, which wound deviously, yet 
with a general western trend. 

This was New River, a short stream, the 
source of which was formed by numerous filter¬ 
ings in the shape of small branches or rivulets 
from the everglades. The wind being favora¬ 
ble, but little trouble was had in sailing the 
Curlew some five miles up stream to a deserted 
pineapple farm, where were a little wharf in 
front and a narrow bayou behind. 

It was determined to leave the Curlew here, 
though before Manatee Zeke had arrived, Baya 
knew that it would be necessary to push and sail 
his larger craft as near as possible to where 
Billy ’s canoe was supposed to be. 

But with Zeke’s dug-out this plan was aban¬ 
doned. So cumbersome a boat as the yacht was 
less desirable in a tortuous stream, lined by 
thick forests, than a light draught, easily-pad¬ 
dled canoe. 

So, while the three Arrowsmiths wandered off 
to see if they could find any ripe fruit among the 
acres of neglected “pines,” the others placed 


162 


FLORIDA LADS. 


such things as were to he taken in the canoe, and 
then poled the Curlew to a secluded hiding 
place in the bayou. 

Baya had little fear of her being disturbed, as 
the Indians are honest, and the few whites that 
pass by hardly less so. The slough where she 
was hidden was thickly overhung by crab-wood 
and palmetto, and further shrouded by the 
festooning streamers of Spanish moss that grew 
everywhere on the bushes and trees. 

The Arrowsmiths soon found the task of 
threading their way amid the sharp bristling 
blades of the pineapple-plants tedious work. 
The barbed points and serrated edges were too 
much for ordinary corduroy hunting breeches 
to withstand. So they returned, carrying a 
number of the ripened apples, and with showers 
of hungry mosquitoes buzzing round their heads. 

“Let’s get away from here,” called Roly to 
Baya, who, with his companions, had now re¬ 
turned. “If you have stowed the Curlew, we 
ought either to leave or make a smudge. ’ ’ 

As Zeke’s canoe was a large one, they were 


FLORIDA LADS. 


163 


soon on their way np stream, with room enough 
inside for the whole party and their luggage, by 
using what Bert termed a due amount of “judi¬ 
cious squeezing.” 

And so, an hour or so passed, the three guides 
paddling leisurely, and the stream getting nar¬ 
rower all the while. All at once a sharp, raking 
sound was heard, passing from bow towards the 
stern. The canoe swung to the current and 
stopped. 

“What is the matter V 9 asked Mr. Arrow- 
smith. 


CHAPTER XY. 


TWO SEMINOLES-INTO THE SWAMPS. 

As the water here was red and sluggish, the 
canoe, it appeared, had glided upon the upward 
slanting end of a submerged log. 

‘‘You should keep a better lookout,” said 
Bert to Billy, who was nearest the bow. 

But Billy's gaze had been fastened on some¬ 
thing to the left, where another yet narrower 
stream was flowing into New River. He now 
pointed, without saying a word. 

Another canoe was rounding a bend of over¬ 
hanging bushes, in which were two Indians on 
their knees, handling their paddles with easy 
dexterity. Even Mr. Arrowsmith noticed that 
the newcomers were in their war dress. 

Their faces were stained with yellow and red 


— 164 — 


FLORIDA LADS. 


165 


pigments, and in their gandy turbans were 
thrust a number of gray eagle feathers, such as 
are worn on only extraordinary occasions, and 
by warriors alone. 

The bright hues of their calico hunting-shirts 
was further enhanced by sundry bead and but¬ 
ton adornments that were generally indicative 
of gala attire. 

They had no women with them, as is usual 
with the journeying Seminole of South Florida, 
and their rifles glanced brightly in the sun from 
the stern of the canoe. 

They gazed steadily at our party, hut made 
no salute of amity, or smiled in the ordinary 
friendly way, as in times of common good feel¬ 
ing towards their white brethren. 

When abreast of the still grounded canoe, one 
of them pointed at Billy, and a few words passed 
between them in a low tone. 

“I see a red man with a white heart/’ said 
one, at length, as he pointed a long finger at 
Billy Keywest, to whom he addressed himself in 
the native tongue, speaking rapidly, and with an 


166 


FLORIDA LADS. 


unmistakably fierce emphasis. 

Billy looked scared at first, then turned ap¬ 
pealingly to Manatee Zeke, addressing him in 
seeming explanation. 

All this was puzzling to the white members 
of the party, as they did not understand a word. 

“What is it they want!” asked Mr. Arrow- 
smith. “We are not going to hurt anybody, or 
allow anybody to be hurt if we can help it.” 

“They think Billy Keywest has turned 
against his tribe,” explained Zeke, who ap¬ 
peared to take things easily, and was not at all 
alarmed. “Billy been away from his people 
long time. They sent him to himself, but they 
did not want him to turn white. Billy say he 
no white man yet. He good Injun. But they 
no believe. But Tustenuggee know. Chief set 
all straight when we get there. ’ ’ 

During this colloquy Billy had apparently 
been justifying himself to his countrymen, but 
with small success, if their manner was a true 
reflex of their feelings. 

Zeke also added a few words in Seminole, but 


FLORIDA LADS. 


167 


the effect did not seem to be propitiatory. 
Finally, the one who had made himself spokes¬ 
man pointed to Mr. Arrowsmith. 

4 ‘White man,” he said, “got gray beard. 
Head wise. Young boys foolish.’’ This, doubt¬ 
less, in reference to the two lads. “Better turn 
back. No good going to everglade. Injun heap 
mad; Injun take scalp; Injun burn Billy Key- 
west. Take Zeke scalp, too. Injun wife no save 
him. Incah! ’ 9 

Having said this they resumed their paddling 
with great deliberation, and swept slowly down 
stream, looking neither to the right nor left. 

The other canoe, having been pushed from 
fhe snag, was turned into the side stream from 
which the Indians had emerged. This was the 
Alipatioka, one of the branches which, sweeping 
from the everglades, forms the head-waters of 
the New River. 

Billy and Manatee Zeke continued for some 
minutes to converse rapidly in Seminole. Baya 
had said nothing all this time, though he could 
partially catch the drift of their talk, owing to 


168 


FLORIDA LADS. 


his long familiarity with the ways and manners 
of these people. 

“ Enough, ” said he to Billy, with an air of 
authority unusual with him. ‘ ‘ If Billy is afraid, 
he can go. I have taken charge of these white 
folks. I intend to see them through. ” 

“See now!” exclaimed Zeke, in English; 
“nobody afraid but you. White man don’t care. 
You want to go back—you can swim.” 

He waved his hand at the dark, turbid water, 
whereat Billy nerved himself with a sudden 
resolution. He could not stand ridicule. 

“Billy no go hack,” he declared, earnestly. 

‘ ‘ Manatee Zeke see one way, tongue go another. 
Billy stay. Billy light—fight like wildcat. Billy 
like white man; stay with him; see Tustenuggee. 
Incah!’ ’ 

And so the point was settled. To steel his 
resolution, Billy sang a martial ballad to him¬ 
self in his own tongue, and largely through his 
nose, then looked around for approval when he 
finished. 

The father and his sons discused this ominous 


FLORIDA LADS. 


169 


phase of their situation, but concluded that they 
had gone too far to recede without at least at¬ 
tempting to penetrate the everglades. If Billy 
could stand it, why should not they! It was 
evident that the Indians would be apt to be more 
severe with a possible renegade than with 
strange white men, who had injured none of 
them, and also had business with their chief. 

They ate a cold dinner on the boat and pushed 
ahead, hoping to reach the island to which Billy 
had been exiled by nightfall. 

Both Zeke and the Seminole said that it was 
not far away. Their water route dwindled to 
a mere ditch, between low, sloping banks, over¬ 
hung with gloomy cypress and oak and cabbage 
palm. The funereal moss was everywhere. At 
intervals, something that looked like a knotty 
log would glide into the water with a sullen 
plunge and turn out to be an alligator. Instead 
of bright-plumaged and sweet-voiced song¬ 
birds, the recesses of the forest were now and 
then enlivened by the lurid and snowy flash of 
large, noiseless wings as crane or curlew were 


170 


FLORIDA LADS. 


startled into flight. 

Once, toward sunset, there was a tremendous 
flapping of wings, and a discordant and contin¬ 
uous screaming, as they passed a low island 
where thousands of pelicans and other water- 
fowl had their nesting and roosting-place. But 
there were no pink curlews. 

‘‘Wait,” said Billy. “When we get over to¬ 
ward Okeechobee I show you pink curlew.” 

The stars came out, and a faint rim of the 
moon lifted its sickle in the southwest. Frogs 
croaked, alligators rumbled, shrill-voiced in¬ 
sects trilled weird accompaniments to a doleful 
sighing of the west wind. 

Instead of paddling, the canoe was pushed 
along by placing the blades against the tussocks 
on either side. The Arrowsmiths felt totally 
lost in that half-submerged wilderness. Even 
Baya confessed himself to be somewhat out of 
his latitude. But Billy and Manatee Zeke never 
faltered in their course. The most intricate 
windings, the gloomiest depths, did not appear 
to affect their intuitive sense of the proper di- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


171 


rection in the least. 

At last they emerged so suddenly into an open 
space, where the sky and stars spread them¬ 
selves out map-like, that the change to all was 
like a passage from a close, dark room into the 
fresh air. 

“Pinnewahachee!” said Billy, in guttural 
tones. “Camp here to-night. To-morrow try 
everglade. ’ ’ 

He sprang ashore, rifle in hand, followed by 
Manatee Zeke. 

“Better bring your guns,” whispered Baya. 
“Mebbe find Seminole here.” 

“Well, if we do, I don’t propose to have him 
shot,” said Mr. Arrowsmith. “You may take 
your rifles, boys, but on no account use them 
on anything human. Whatever the Indians may 
do or say, our errand in these parts is one of 
peace.” 

But little could be seen of their surroundings, 
except that towards the west the country was 
open. They appeared to be in a small clearing, 
surrounded on three sides by forest. Soon they 


172 


FLORIDA LADS. 


came to a palmetto thatched camp. Billy mo¬ 
tioned the others back. 

11 Wait,’ ’ said he. ‘ 1 Kill flea first!’ ’ 

He scattered some loose palmetto fans over 
the sand floor, inside and before the door. Then, 
striking a match, he recklessly set fire to them 
and seized an old coat from a corner. 

“You’ll burn the whole thing down!” warned 
Roly. 

Billy laughed, but shook his head. As fast 
as the fire burned he followed it, whipping out 
the remains and filling the air with smoke. Zeke 
now appeared, with a bucket of spring water 
from somewhere. Presently the flames and 
smoke were banished. The party entered and 
Baya lighted a lantern. 

“No flea now!” remarked he, tapping the 
sand with his foot. 

As these pests will often linger and multiply 
for weeks after a spot is otherwise deserted, 
the precaution of burning over the ground is 
by no means a useless one. 

Soon a fire was going and supper in a fair 


FLORIDA LADS. 


178 


way of being prepared. Billy stated that he had 
built the camp himself, and had worried 
through several months of his exile here; but 
the solitude was too much for him. He was not 
built that way, as Roly suggested. 

Having explained, he disappeared with a 
torch and his hunting knife, returning shortly 
with two small, hard-shell pumpkins and a few 
sweet potatoes; but he looked vexed. 

“Holawaugus!’’ he exclaimed. “Seminole 
been here. Take Injun punkin, take yam. Most 
all gone. ’ ’ 

But there were enough left in the small patch 
he had cultivated to lend more variety to their 
bill of fare for a meal or two. 

When they fell asleep that night, the cries of 
the tree-frogs and the rumble of the “bull 
’gators ’ ’ in the swamp behind was almost deaf¬ 
ening. But the early morning air felt glorious. 
They were early astir. 

When the boys came out, a broad expanse of 
marshy prairie confronted them, stretching 
westward as far as the eye could reach and yet 


174 


FLORIDA LADS. 


beyond. At wide intervals were palmetto-cov¬ 
ered islands, dense, though small, that rose out 
of the low, green levels like tropic islets in some 
verdant, shallow sea. In the northwest was a 
blue, dark line of some extent. In the west and 
southwest were several more similar blots that 
interrupted the smooth horizon, like ink-smears 
toward the edge of the page. These were hum¬ 
mocks of varying extent. Billy said they had 
clearings in the higher portions, which were 
cultivated by the Indians. 

Behind them and on either hand was the for¬ 
est-covered swamp through which they had 
passed yesterday. The prairie was mostly un¬ 
der water, though the tall grass waved high 
over all. It was also threaded in every direc¬ 
tion by countless shallow channels, of varying 
widths, that permeated the vast surface as the 
veins ramify throughout the 'body. 

There was little mud at the bottom of these 
channels, but a good deal of hard, gray sand, 
interspersed with insignificant protrusions of a 
porous kind of rock, evidently of coral origin. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


175 


The three Arrowsmiths were still gazing in 
delight on this sylvan picture, so different to, 
yet so near that of the coast region, when they 
saw Billy coming toward them, holding out his 
arm toward the south. Then he pointed in the 
opposite direction. After that, he looked in¬ 
tently toward the west. 

4 ‘Well, what is it now?” asked Bert. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


IN THE EVERGLADES—THE PINK CURLEW. 

Mr. Arrowsmith and his sons looked again. 

“I don’t see anything but some smoke over 
yonder, towards Lake Okeechobee,” remarked 
Roly. 

“Yah!” said Billy, eagerly. “Seminole make 
smoke. Send message that way. ” 

“Ah, I suppose the Indians are making sig¬ 
nals,” commented Mr. Arrowsmith. “I have 
heard that they used to telegraph to each other 
the movements of our soldiers in that way. ’ ’ 

“Yah! Make little here. Make big smoke 
yonder. Seminole know what all mean. Ever¬ 
glade great place to make smoke. See long 
way. ’ ’ 

“This, then, is the everglades V 9 queried Bert. 

- 176 — 


FLORIDA LADS. 


177 


“It looks different from what I thought it 
would.’ ’ 

“Well, I don’t see anything very remark¬ 
able,” said Roly. “Here is only a big prairie, 
with most too much water for walking, and I 
should say hardly enough for boating. I am 
glad there are but few mosquitoes, though.” 

Presently they had breakfast; then Billy and 
Zeke went into the Swamp, returning not long 
thereafter with another and smaller canoe, 
which the Seminole said belonged to him. 

“Hide him in a gum log,” explained he. “In¬ 
jun no find him.” 

And he appeared to be delighted at the idea 
of having thus outwitted his countrymen. 

The effects of the party were now divided, 
Rdland and Billy taking their places in the less¬ 
er craft, with a portion of the load and their own 
firearms. 

When they all started, the small canoe took 
the lead, though where they were to go or how 
they were to select a route among the hundreds 
of little sloughs and channels running in every 


178 


FLORIDA LADS. 


direction, no one clearly knew except Billy and 
Manatee Zeke. Bay a had been to the ever¬ 
glades before, bnt was not familiar with their 
navigation. 

The Seminole explained that in a very dry 
time there was but little water. During the 
rainy season the vast flat surface was like a shal¬ 
low lake. 

At present, although water was none too plen¬ 
tiful, they would be able to get along, provided 
they kept to the proper route. 

“That depends on you and Zeke, Billy,’’ 
laughed Roly. “If it was left to me, I should 
get out and wade. A straight course, through 
wet and dry, through one of those big hum¬ 
mocks, would be the only way I/d find, in such a 
swamp as this.” 

The stream, or rather ditch, up which they 
had come the previous evening, seemed to re¬ 
ceive its supply from a dozen of these little 
sandy channels, into one of which Billy led the 
way; but presently all hands, except Mr. Ar- 
rowsmith, had to get out and either push or lift 


FLORIDA LADS. 


179 


alternately for a hundred or so yards, before 
the canoes would float freely. * 

Light poles had been provided by the guides, 
and instead of paddling they pushed their way 
with these out into the grassy, wind-waving ex¬ 
panse. 

The shadows of a few white clouds were re¬ 
flected on the brownish green surface, as if the 
shimmer of the ocean had caught the reflection. 

When a puff of wind passed by, its approach 
was marked by a rapidly rippling sweep as the 
grass bent, that was not unlike the rolling of 
watery waves. As they drew out into the prai¬ 
rie, several other smokes became visible, some 
of which loomed up dark and steady, while oth¬ 
ers were of lighter hues. 

At times a certain smoke would disappear for 
a minute, then burst forth again in irregular 
puffs. 

“A regular system of telegraphy they must 
have ,’ 9 said Bert. “I have read that the 
Apaches in Arizona made use of similar devices 
in the Geronimo war,” 


180 


FLORIDA LADS. 


After a time the sun shone with such power 
that, but for the gentle flaws of wind, the heat 
would have been most oppressive. As it was, 
Mr. Arrowsmith hoisted an umbrella and made 
feeble attempts to read a pocket history of the 
Seminole war which he had along. 

The water in the everglades was singularly 
clear, but too warm for pleasant drinking, aside 
from a slight brackish flavor. A mile or so out 
from the swamp Billy pointed to a flock of white 
curlews sunning themselves on a rocky islet near 
the edge of one of the clumps of palmettos. 

Roly caught a glimpse of pink color in the 
midst. 

44 Billy,’’ said he, eagerly,.. 44 can’t we slip 
round those palmettos and get a shot! It’s a 
pink curlew.” 

The Seminole motioned for Manatee Zeke to 
go on, then he made a wide detour through a 
channel so narrow that the sides, of the canoe 
were rubbed by the rustling grasses.. At last 
they reached the further side of the islet, and 
Roly sprang overboard, rifle in hand, without 


FLORIDA LADS. 


181 


looking for a dry landing-place. 

Billy followed. 

When the boy reached the edge of the thick 
fringe of saw palmetto nearest the birds, he gave 
a gasp of delight. In the midst of a dozen or 
more white curlews were the rich, glowing col¬ 
ors he so longed to possess. Two of the pink 
birds were there*. His hand trembled as he 
raised his Winchester. 

‘ ‘ This won’t do, ’ ’ he muttered to himself. ‘ ‘ I 
must not injure the plume. ” He looked around 
and found a good rest upon a leaning cabbage 
palm, then strove to steady his nerves. 
4 ‘ Pshaw! ’’ he ejaculated. 4 ‘ What is the matter 
with me, anyhow ?’ ’ 

As he apostrophized his shaking efforts at 
steadying himself, a whistling snort issued from 
the hushes not far to his right. Then a tawny 
and white streak seemed to leap into the air 
close by and went flaring by, out into the open 
grass toward the birds. These last rose with a 
great flapping of wings. 

Roly, rendered desperate, steeled his muscles 


182 


FLORIDA LADS. 


by a severe effort of will and blazed away at 
the nearest gleam of flying pink. The bird 
sank, bnt rose again with one leg drooping. 

Roly fired again. It seemed to be a miss. 
He frantically pumped a fresh cartridge into 
the barrel, and took a more deliberate sight. 
Just as he shot, another report rang out near 
by. 

“Hurrah!” cried the boy, dashing out into 
the grass and water. “ I Ve got him this time.’ ’ 

He floundered through the marsh to where 
the bunch of brilliant plumage had fallen, and 
bore it back to the island in triumph, to find 
Billy Keywest shouldering a fair-sized deer 
which he had .just brought down. The two were 
now in high spirits. 

“You scare ’em up,” said Billy. “I shoot 
’em down.” 

“Yes, I saw it, Billy; but I was after the bird. 
Isn’t he a beauty?” 

For the rest of that day Roly and his guide 
felt calmly serene and superior. The boy even 
pitied the barren fortune of his less favored 


FLORIDA LADS. 


183 


companions. He had obtained one of the main 
objects of his trip into these wilds. After that, 
even a Seminole outbreak was but a tame affair. 
At least, this was the way he felt at present. 
Billy, having secured a supply of fresh meat, 
and made an extremely good flying shot, was 
also in the best of spirits. 

At noon the party ate a cold luncheon in their 
canoes. The sun shone with an unpleasant 
heat, which was somewhat mitigated by the 
wind that blew all day over the marshes. No 
one was sorry, therefore, when, toward four 
o’clock, they drew near a hummock of consid¬ 
erable size, where Manatee Zeke said there 
would be a good place to camp. This was at a 
spring at the foot of a huge “clay root,” just 
within the edge of a small clearing, near which 
stood a half ruinous cabin built of cabbage pal¬ 
metto logs. 

The place had evidently not been inhabited 
for a long time, as the field was overgrown with 
bushes, and on the roof of the cabin were jagged 
rents where the palmetto fans were rotted or 


184 


FLORIDA LADS. 


blown aside. 

A rattlesnake and one or two tarantulas were 
killed before Billy announced that the shelter 
was safe for occupation. 

i 1 Billy takes it as a matter of course, that no 
more of these creatures are here,” said Bert; 
“but I have no notion of such bedfellows crawl¬ 
ing under my bar.” 

“Let us sleep out of doors, then,” replied 
Roly. “I don’t fancy the looks of things in 
here. ’ ’ 

So, while supper was preparing, the boys 
spread down their own and their father’s beds 
in the open air. The guides, however, were not 
so sensitive, and avowed their intention of 
sleeping in the cabin. 

After an early supper, the two lads declared 
their purpose of exploring the hummock, which 
was densely wooded, and seemed to be more ele¬ 
vated on the further and western side. 

“We’ll climb a tree and look around, fa¬ 
ther,” said Bert. “Perhaps we can discover 
some sign of the Indians besides their smoke. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


185 


Won’t you go!” 

But Mr. Arrowsmith was too tired after his 
cramped canoe voyage. Billy picked up his 
Winchester. 

“Don’t go very far, boys,” admonished their 
father. “It is nearly sunset now. You might 
lose your way after dark.” 

“Not with Billy along,” answered Roly. 
“Billy is at home in the everglades—aren’t you, 
Billy!” Billy nodded vigorously. “I don’t 
think the hummock is more than half a mile 
wide. If you hear us shoot, don’t you be un¬ 
easy. We may get a deer, or something.” 

“Bear — deer — turkey — heap plenty — too 
much,” commented the Seminole, in an inter- 
jectional manner, as they disappeared within 
the timber. 

While the boys were away, Baya, whose foot 
was nearly well, and Zeke made themselves busy 
in cleaning up the dishes, fetching more wood, 
and otherwise preparing for the night. 

Mr. Arrowsmith resumed his perusal of the 
book on shell-mounds, and as the sun went down, 


186 


FLORIDA LADS. 


and the brief southern twilight came on, the 
camp was surrounded by the usual nightly cho¬ 
rus of wild voices peculiar to that latitude and 
the wilderness. 

At last a low, distant rumble of thunder 
aroused the father to a sense of vague anxiety. 
The far eastern wall of forest was disappearing 
in the gloaming, and in the south a rising line 
of clouds hinted of rain. 

“I don’t see what keeps those boys away so 
long,” he remarked, at length. “They could 
hardly get lost, I reckon.” 

“Not with Billy along,” assured Bay a, who 
was patching an old pair of trousers. “Semi¬ 
nole never get lost.” 

“I wish they would come back. The unset¬ 
tled condition of these Indians just now keeps 
me a little doubtful as to the wisdom of ventur¬ 
ing thus far into their territory.” 

Manatee Zeke suddenly held up one finger in 
an attitude of attention. 

Baya listened, then rose to his feet. 

“What is it?” questioned Mr. Arrowsmith, 
uneasily. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


A SEPARATION—A SURPRISE. 

Hardly had he spoken when the report of a 
gun was heard. This was followed by another. 
After an interval of silence, a quavering whoop 
came floating through the timber. Then all 
was still, except the customary voicings of the 
night and the sigh of the wind. 

“Do you think they can have shot at some 
kind of game?” asked the anxious father. “It 
seems rather dark for hunting, without a light 
of some kind.” 

Baya and Zeke glanced at each other signifi¬ 
cantly. 

“Seminole!” said the latter, in his senten¬ 
tious way. 

The Minorcan looked at Mr. Arrowsmith in a 


— 187 — 


188 


FLORIDA LADS. 


pitying sort of way. These very smart white 
people did not recognize even an Indian whoop. 
Then he began to examine his own rifle. 

4 ‘ Injun near here, ’ ’ continued Zeke. 1 i Mebbe 
they find white boys. Mebbe they find Billy 
Key west . 9 9 

'‘This is alarming,’’ said Mr. Arrowsmith, 
rising and throwing down his book. "But if 
they do find them, you do not think they would 
harm my boys, do you?” 

"Two gun—two shoot. Seminole no shoot- 
boy shoot.” 

"Baya, can you not give me more comfort 
than this?” and Mr. Arrowsmith turned to the 
Minorcan. "Perhaps Billy might have shot. 
How can you tell who has shot by the mere 
sound of the guns?” 

Manatee Zeke shrugged his shoulders over 
such ignorance. 

"Zeke means that the Indians use the long 
rifle. It sounds different from a breech-loader. 
He can tell, so can I. That whoop was one they 
use to let folks know they have had good luck.” 


FLORIDA LADS. 


189 


4 ‘ Can we do nothing but sit here, men ? ’ ’ Mr. 
Arrowsmith was thoroughly roused now. “Zeke, 
you know these Seminoles. You are one of 
their kin. Let us try to see what the matter is. 
I cannot rest under this uncertainty.” 

Baya took an axe, and proceeded to cut some 
long splinters from a dead and fallen pine near 
by. Zeke picked up his rifle. After a torch 
was lighted and spare splinters gathered, they 
were ready. 

It took but a moment or so to cross the clear¬ 
ing and enter the deep gloom of the forest. The 
thick canopy of bay, black gum, oak and cab¬ 
bage-palm completely shut out the little twi¬ 
light now remaining, but the rich, resinous pine 
made a broad flare of light. 

In single file they advanced; slowly, it is true, 
owing to thick undergrowth and interlacing 
vines. An owl hooted near, one of the great 
gray ones, that have a voice grim, sarcastic and 
vague, as if it issued from a closed tomb. 

Flutterings of small wings, flappings of large 
ones, denoted the startled flight of roosting 


190 


FLORIDA LADS. 


birds. A few ’possums grinned at them, and 
once a coon clawed sharply up a leaning tree 
at Mr. Arrowsmith’s elbow. 

As they advanced the ground became more 
elevated. Finally they climbed one of the large 
shell mounds so often found in that region, the 
top of which was covered by low bushes. Baya 
dashed out the flame of his torch, and as soon 
as their eyes grew accustomed to the gloom, 
thousands of stars sprang into view overhead, 
while in the south a deeper blackness denoted 
the still rising rain clouds. 

“What did you do that for?” asked Mr. Ar- 
rowsmith of the Minorcan. “The boys might 
see us if we kept the light.” 

“Injun see, too,” replied Baya. “If they 
have really taken the boys, they might want to 
take us.” 

“Well, what have we ttf fear? We have done 
no harm, and the Seminoles would hardly dare 
to commit an outrage on such a party as ours, 
would they?” 

Zeke seemed to assent, and at a command 



« 


Me good Seminole,” he said, tapping his bosom significantly 

(Page 153) 



















FLORIDA LADS. 


191 


from Mr. Arrowsmith, the torch was relighted, 
though Baya evidently disapproved. Scarce¬ 
ly had its gleam flashed forth, when another, 
hut very distant, cry was heard. It was long, 
quavering as before, but seemed somehow fierce¬ 
ly exulting, and came from the open prairie. 

“What is the meaning of that! Are they go¬ 
ing away?” 

Zeke gave several answering shouts, at Mr. 
Arrowsmith’s suggestion, but there was no re¬ 
ply. Nothing more was heard or discovered, 
though they searched the hummock* carefully. 

When they returned to camp, Mr. Arrowsmith 
was thoroughly worn out in body, and greatly 
harassed in mind. He had called on his sons 
repeatedly, but received no answer. Whatever 
had happened, the three lost ones were either 
out of hearing, or were hindered in some way 
from replying to the shouts of the searchers. 

There seemed to be nothing for it but to wait 
until morning, though the father’s state of mind 
was almost unbearable. While cool reason as¬ 
sured him that the absentees were more than 


192 


FLORIDA LADS. 


apt to be safe, parental solicitude engendered 
ever-renewing causes for apprehension. 

The two guides administered a little phleg¬ 
matic consolation, and took things very coolly 
themselves. The consensus of their opinion 
seemed to be that the only real ground for dis¬ 
trusting the safety of Bert and Roly lay in the 
feelings of the Indians regarding the outrages 
lately committed by one of the white men, and 
their peculiar ideas regarding revenge. 

‘ 4 Injun no kill yet,” remarked Zeke. “Take 
prisoner, mebbe. No kill, though.” 

This was Baya’s opinion, and with that, for 
the present, they were compelled to be satisfied. 

Mutterings of thunder continued to be heard 
at intervals, but Mr. Arrowsmith prevailed on 
Bay a to sleep out doors by the fire, notwith¬ 
standing these indications of rain. Zeke slept 
in the snake-haunted cabin. 

They all crept under their bars about eleven 
o’clock, leaving a dying fire to cast its flicker 
over the glistening palm leaves and the strings 
of drying vension that hung near by. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


193 


Mr. Arrowsmith was too wearied to be kept 
long awake, despite his anxiety. The guides 
slumbered with the practiced ease of veteran 
campers-out. 

Therefore, sundry owl hootings that soon be¬ 
gan to echo to each other from different parts 
of the forest were not noticed; neither were the 
approaching sounds of the storm heeded except 
by the tree frogs, which increased their shrill 
clamor. 

A final heavy clap of thunder and a sudden 
downfall of rain aroused the sleepers. Bars 
and bedding were hastily gathered up and a 
rush made for the cabin. Zeke had forethought 
sufficient to snatch up a brand or two from the 
embers, and, once inside, he coaxed the coals 
into a small flame on the dirt floor. 

The rain came plunging down with tropic vio¬ 
lence, accompanied by a brief rush of wind, and 
a gradual after-subsiding of the squall into a 
gentle patter. 

The decayed roof leaked badly, and as they 
huddled under the drippings around the small 


194 


FLORIDA LADS. 


fire, Mr. Arrowsmith felt wretchedly uncom¬ 
fortable. Their bedding was piled in a shel¬ 
tered corner and the mosquitoes were humming 
unpleasantly. 

“How long do you think this will last?” asked 
he, at length. 

“Soon be over,” said Baya. “Venison will 
spoil, though.” 

A blinding final flash interrupted him, that 
was succeeded by a rattling crash of thunder. 

The rain again came pouring down, though 
but for a moment, for it was the last effort of 
the storm. As the echoes were dying away a 
different noise arose, that sent a chill to the 
blood, and caused every man to think of his 
weapon. Only Zeke had carried his rifle to the 
cabin. 

“Indians!” faltered Mr. Arrowsmith. “Is 
it our turn now?” 

A series of quick, sharp, quivering yells broke 
out all about them. As the dying fire blazed 
up, a number of shadowy forms were seen to 
rush from the surrounding bushes, and the door- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


195 


way was blocked by a bulky figure. 

Then some one leaped on Mr. Arrowsmith 
from behind. Other figures dropped through 
the roof, and the hut was alive with living, 
struggling shadows. 


CHAPTEB XVIII. 


IN CAPTIVITY—DANGER AGAIN. 

Mr. Arrowsmith wrenched himself loose from 
the grasp that held him from behind and turned 
on his unknown adversary. But some one else 
seized him, and he was quickly reduced to help¬ 
lessness, while two large, dark forms held him 
by either arm and marched him forth into the 
open air, where others were rekindling the dy¬ 
ing fire. 

The guides had been made captive likewise, 
and when the flames blazed up the three men 
found themselves in the hands of a dozen or 
more Indians. 

“Ask them what is the intention of this out¬ 
rage, Baya?” Mr. Arrowsmith said. 

Zeke, who had not resisted from the first, 

— 196 — 


FLORIDA LADS. 


197 


spoke a few words to his captors, then turned 
to Mr. Arrowsmith with one of his expressive 
shrugs. 

‘ 4 Seminole,’’ he explained. “My brothers. 
White man kill Injun, they say. Injun want 
white man.” 

“It means that we are prisoners, sir,” said 
Baya, more slowly. “They won’t say what 
they are going to do.” 

Meanwhile some of the Indians were rum¬ 
maging among the guns and equipments of the 
party, each one seeming to appropriate to him¬ 
self whatever suited his fancy. The breech¬ 
loaders and revolvers delighted them highly. 

Finally one tall savage, whom Baya ad¬ 
dressed as “Doctor,” began to strip Mr. Arrow- 
smith’s coat from his shoulders, he having put 
it on during the rain. 

Resistance was useless, and the party sub¬ 
mitted to be plundered without further protest. 
Manatee Zeke seemed to fare no better than the 
others. 

A roaring fire was built, and the prisoners, 


198 


FLORIDA LADS. 


after having their hands tied, were placed to¬ 
gether, with a conple of Indians standing guard 
over them. A sort of leader left the fire, where 
others were now preparing supper from the 
white men’s venison and other provisions, and 
placed himself before Mr. Arrowsmith. 

“My name Metacumba,” he said, slapping 
his breast, to indicate that he meant himself. 
“Big warrior! Where all the rest? One,” 
pointing his finger at each prisoner, in turn, 
“two, three. Where rest gone?’” 

“You ought to know better than we,” replied 
Mr. Arrowsmith. “We do not know where 
they are.” 

“White man got gray head. What make him 
tell lie?” 

“This white man does not lie! You should 
know, I repeat, where my sons are better than 
I.” 

“Gray head got two son. White man kill 
Injun. Well—Injun kill white boy. Injun get 
revenge. ’ 9 

“Good! good!” echoed several savages 


FLORIDA LADS. 


199 


around. “Injun die. White man die!” 

“Merciful heavens!” groaned the unhappy 
father, turning to the guides. “Must I believe 
all they say?” 

Baya whispered that it was likely the Semi- 
noles were merely quizzing him, partly for their 
own amusement and partly to find out how much 
they really knew of the fate of the balance of 
their party. This gave Mr. Arrowsmith a new 
idea, and he seized upon it as one would upon 
a forlorn hope. 

“Metacumba—if that is your name—why do 
you seek to torture a father’s heart? Neither 
I nor my sons have injured you in the least. 
But know this: I have not come down into your 
country on an empty chase. I would see Tus- 
tenuggee. He has sent for me, and I am here.” 

This news evidently created some astonish¬ 
ment. The Indians suspended their eating and 
their plundering for a moment. Metacumba 
addressed a few words in Seminole to Manatee 
Zeke in quick, stern tones. 

But Zeke shook his head, and seemed from his 


200 


FLORIDA LADS. 


manner to be declaring his ignorance. Baya 
said nothing; perhaps, he thought there would 
be no use. Finally Metacumba turned to Mr. 
Arrowsmith, and a frown gathered on his brow. 
He shook his finger, warningly. 

“Gray head should have straight tongue,” 
he retorted. “Tustenuggee is not here. I am 
next to Tustenuggee. Let white man speak the 
truth. What does he want?’” 

But Mr. Arrowsmith threw himself on his 
dignity, as a last resort. He, too, drew himself 
up stiffly. 

“I have spoken the truth. Tustenuggee 
knows. I will wait for Tustenuggee. ’ 9 

Metacumba replied only with a taunting 
laugh. Yet he was evidently chagrined. It 
irritated his sense of his own importance, that 
he should be told there were things concerning 
the prisoners and Tustenuggee which he, the 
great Metacumba, must not hear. 

He bade the guard to keep a watchful eye on 
their charges and withdrew sullenly to the fire, 
where the whole party was now enjoying them- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


201 


selves at the white men’s expense. 

They gorged themselves with great chunks of 
venison, slightly broiled, and drank quarts of 
coffee. The canned goods puzzled them, until 
one venturesome warrior split open a tin of 
peaches with his tomahawk, whereat the taste 
of the fruit pleased them greatly. Can after 
can was thus opened, and the contents eaten 
and wasted. The sight moved Mr. Arrow- 
smith’s ire again. 

‘ i Tustenuggee will he angry!” he called out. 
‘ ‘ He will be very angry to see the way his peo¬ 
ple waste the sweet things which his paleface 
friend has brought down here for Tustenug¬ 
gee. ’ ’ 

This conveyed a new light to the depredators. 
They said nothing, yet their promiscuous wast¬ 
ing of the white man’s goods ceased. It was 
evident that a possible friend of Tustenuggee 
was to be treated with some caution, after all. 
One of their guards threw the prisoners some 
blankets., and, as a special concession, the other 
one slyly unloosed Mr. Arrowsmith’s hands. 


202 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“Incah!” lie muttered. “My father can 
sleep I When Tustenuggee comes, he will give 
Tiger Tail a box of the sweet juice for him¬ 
self/ : ’ 

Mr. Arrowsmith nodded. He wrapped him¬ 
self up and endeavored to rest a little, while 
the mosquitoes sank and hit, and the Seminoles, 
one by one, coiled themselves down near the 
fire. 

Before day the Indians were astir. A rude 
breakfast was quickly made ready. Then the 
prisoners were placed in the larger one of their 
own canoes. The Indians produced two more 
of their own, and the party distributed them¬ 
selves so that the four craft were comfortably 
burdened. 

Mr. Arrowsmith viewed these preparations to 
leave with some alarm, and called Metacumba’s 
attention to the fact that he did not want to 
leave until his sons had returned. But the sub¬ 
chief shook his head. 

‘ ‘ Must go , 9 9 he said, harshly. ‘ 4 There is trou¬ 
ble between the palefaces and the Seminoles. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


203 


Must go.” 

And that was all he would say on the subject. 
So about sunrise the four canoes, in single file, 
were being paddled toward the northwest, 
where another blue line, rearing itself above the 
surface of the marshes, denoted the presence 
of another hummock. 

Among themselves, the Indians exhibited lit¬ 
tle of that grim taciturnity so generally attrib¬ 
uted to them. They laughed and jabbered away 
to each other in their own tongue, and called 
from one boat to another. Toward the pris¬ 
oners they preserved a cautious reticence. This 
was somewhat relaxed in favor of Manatee 
Zeke, whom all of them knew. His guards 
chatted with him in Seminole; yet it was still 
evident that he was under some sort of sus¬ 
picion. 

Baya knew a few among them; yet but little 
was said to him. To Mr. Arrowsmith they 
would say nothing, merely touching their lips 
with a finger when he questioned any of them. 

Toward noon a terrific thunder-shower came 


204 


FLORIDA LADS. 


up, during which they reached a small islet, 
covered with a low growth of palmetto, under 
which they crouched for two hours or so, while 
the rain lashed the fans overhead and the wind 
swept the prairie in sheets of fury. It wound 
up with a rattling volley of hailstones ; and was 
followed by a clearing sky, and a north wind 
that left everything chilly and uncomfortable. 
Mr. Arrowsmith was especially miserable, not¬ 
withstanding his mackintosh. 

All the prisoners had been unbound, though 
they were not permitted to carry their own 
weapons, or, indeed, to touch a thing other than 
what was handed to them. 

When the party started again, their course 
was west, and afterward southwest, though with 
many windings caused by the crookedness of the 
water channels they were compelled to pursue. 

It was a source of puzzled admiration to Mr. 
Arrowsmith how these savages found their way 
so unerringly amid the network of narrow and 
intricate waterways running seemingly in every 
direction. Most of them were too shallow, even 


FLORIDA LADS. 


205 


for a canoe; hence the nicety of judgment neces¬ 
sary to pick a safe way in any given direction. 
At times poles were used instead of paddles, 
the one who poled standing erect in the stern 
of his craft and guiding as well as pushing. 

It was nearly sundown before the party ar¬ 
rived at the large hummock faintly indicated on 
the horizon that morning. Not that they had 
gone so far, however, for it was not more than 
fifteen miles away in a straight course, though 
they had traveled quite twice* that distance to 
reach the place. 

Here was a larger clearing than common, 
and more than a dozen cabins built of palmetto 
logs and fans. A number of women and chil¬ 
dren ran down a sloping mound to meet the 
canoes. Some of the dwellings were on the 
summit of the hill; others were lower down, at 
the edge of the marsh. Several other canoes 
were hauled up along the shore, where a wider 
strip of water expanded gently. 

The prisoners were taken immediately up the 
hill, followed by a curious and not very friendly 


206 


FLORIDA LADS. 


crowd of perhaps fifty or more men, women and 
children. 

When they reached the summit, Mr. Arrow- 
smith was thrilled and amazed at the unexpected 
view that met his gaze. On the east and south 
were the swampy everglades, stretching for 
miles, but to the west and north was an open 
expanse of brown water as far as the eye could 
reach, except for a few islets scattered here and 
there. The shores were everywhere low and 
marshy, though isolated hummocks were visible 
at intervals far back from the lake. While he 
was looking, Metacumba waved his arm. 

11 Okeechobee, ’ ’ he said, briefly. Then, after 
a pause, “Let Grayhead look this way.” 

Far toward the south a few specks were to 
be seen on the yellowish expanse of the ever¬ 
glades. Metacumba was pointing them out. 

“Tustenuggee-,” remarked the sub chief. 
“When the sun rises, Grayhead will know 
whether paleface live or die.” 

61 Live or die! ” ejaculated the other. * 1 What 
do you mean! Are our lives really in dan¬ 
ger!” 


CHAPTER XIX. 

WHAT BECAME OF THE BOYS. 

It is time to see what has become of the two 
young hunters, and their guide, Billy Keywest. 

When these three reached the slight elevation 
toward which they had made their way after 
leaving the camp the sun was setting. There 
were signs of approaching storm in the air, and 
off toward the west a dim alteration in the color 
of the horizon claimed their notice. 

‘ 1 What is it ? ’ ’ asked Bert of Billy. ‘ ‘ It looks 
like it might be another cloud.” 

“Yonder great lake. Okeechobee. Twenty 
—forty mile long.” 

“Well, this is a different looking country 
from what I thought it would he,” remarked 
Roly. “I always had an idea the everglades 

— 207 — 


208 


FLORIDA LADS. 


were an immense swamp, covered with timber, 
where no one bnt Indians ever went. This looks 
just as I have heard people say it looks out in 
Dakota in summer time, only there is more 
water here.” 

When they had surveyed the prospect to their 
satisfaction, thev were about to return by an¬ 
other route to the camp as Billy made a sudden 
discovery. 

“Look!” he said, pointing downward, where 
the* marsh and the hummock met below the 
bluff. 

“Well, what is it?” questioned Roly, care¬ 
lessly. “I see nothing, unless it is that log in 
the edge of*the marsh.” 

“He no log,” whispered Billy, warningly. 
‘ 1 Canoe. Seminole here. ’ ’ 

The object indicated looked like a log to both 
the boys, amid the waving high grass at the 
edge of the marsh. But Billy insisted, and mo¬ 
tioned to them to follow him. This they did, 
all of them crouching down almost on their 
hands and knees as they stole toward the thick 


FLORIDA LADS. 


209 


shelter of the larger timber lower down. 

At last Billy, who was in front, crouched be¬ 
hind a half-rotted magnolia log, and gestured 
for extreme silence and caution. They waited 
and listened, but heard nothing unusual; at 
least, the boys did not, though Billy’s nostrils 
fairly quivered in response to the intelligence 
that seemed to be imparted to him by his ears. 

Billy doubtless had more reason to dread hos¬ 
tile capture than any of the party, in view of his 
strained tribal relations. Bert wished to avoid 
such complications mainly on his father’s ac¬ 
count, though Roly had more than once averred 
that he did not much care if the whole expedi¬ 
tion were swooped down upon by the Seminoles 
and carried somewhere where no white men had 
ever been before. 

4 ‘ That might be something to talk about when 
we get home,” he explained. 

“But suppose you didn’t get home?” queried 
Bert, when this bold suggestion was thrown out. 

Roly did not pursue the subject further. 
Now, however, he began to feel that there might 


210 


FLORIDA LADS. 


be strong grounds for converting Bert’s ques¬ 
tion into a bald probability. 

Billy at length whispered his view of the 
present status of their situation. 

“Injun see us,” he said. “Injun got sharp 
eye—better than paleface. Mebbe let us go; 
mebbe no let us go. Must try and get back to 
camp. Grayhead no sleep tonight if we no get 
back. ’ 9 

The twilight was falling as the three resumed 
their cautious retreat. But they had scarcely 
reached the point on the slope where the bushes 
of the summit were merged into the larger 
growth lower down when four armed Seminoles 
sprang out from behind trees in front and on 
either side of the party. At the same time two 
more crept in from somewhere and closed up 
behind. 

One advanced, with his long rifle in one hand 
and the other arm extended. 

"Give up gun,” he demanded, and at the 
movement laid hold of Roly’s rifle, which hap¬ 
pened to be at full cock. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


211 


The boy had no notion of surrendering his 
weapon in this fashion, and resisted so energet¬ 
ically that the rifle went off in the struggle. 
Meanwhile, other Indians had thrown them¬ 
selves upon Bert and Billy. The Seminole 
made no resistance, probably recognizing its fu¬ 
tility. He protested, though, in vigorous native 
language, when his hands were roughly tied, 
but without effect. 

Bert, at the report of Roly’s gun, released 
himself for an instant from his adversary, 
stepped back and fired his own Winchester in 
the air to further alarm the rest of the party at 
the camp. But before he could fire again, he 
was disarmed and held, helpless, as was Roly 
also. 

The boys struggled bravely against the in¬ 
dignity of bonds, but, as with Billy, their resist¬ 
ance was in vain. 

Six strong warriors were too much for their 
undeveloped muscles. When the three had been 
reduced to helpless captivity, their captors 
sounded the quavering whoop which had been 


212 


FLOKIDA LADS. 


heard at the camp, then started off at a rapid 
pace, taking their prisoners along. 

To questions, they either made no response at 
all or muttered unintelligibly. When Billy 
found that his protests against being bound 
were of no avail, he maintained a grim silence 
thereafter. Nor would he respond to a chance 
remark addressed to him by one of his guards, 
who was in fact a kinsman of Billy’s. 

When the canoe was reached, it was almost 
dark. The craft was a large one, and there 
was no other in sight. The Indians, with their 
captives, struck out across the marshes in a 
southwesterly direction and paddled diligently 
until the storm broke. Once they whooped, in 
response to a gleam of Baya’s torch, but did not 
answer Zeke’s yells. 

On the unprotected prairie the squall’s fury 
was so great that they stopped for a time under 
the lee of a larger cluster of “saw-grass,” and 
wrapped themselves in blankets. The whole 
party was thoroughly drenched, and the boys 
condoled with each other on the hard luck. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


213 


Billy still said nothing. 

Once or twice they thought they heard the 
sound of shouting and firearms in the direction 
from which they had come, but the noise of the 
elements was snch that the lads were not certain. 

Their uneasiness was not lessened when Billy 
for the first time broke silence, by saying to 
them, in a low tone: 

“Bad lnck! Injun find out camp now.” 

“Do you think they are troubling father?” 
asked Roly. 

“Injun find everything. Find camp.” 

“I wish we had never come into these ever¬ 
glades,” grumbled Roly. “I don’t suppose 
they will dare to kill any of us, but it is awfully 
aggravating to be bothered in this way and not 
know what is going to happen.” 

Experience was changing his views concern¬ 
ing a state of duress. 

“Wait till see Tustenuggee. Billy say noth¬ 
ing till see big chief. Tustenuggee make all 
right, mebbe.” 

This “mebbe,” however, exposed a state of 


214 


FLORIDA LADS. 


exasperating uncertainty, even to Billy’s acute 
conceptions. 

They resumed their journey after the storm 
had spent its force, and for several hours plod¬ 
ded through the night, making many turns, and, 
as far as the hoys could see, “going it blind,” 
amid the darkness and the universal sameness 
of the watery network in which they were in¬ 
volved. 

But the Injuns never hesitated. Their knowl¬ 
edge of their course was like an intuition. It 
seemed almost miraculous. Finally, away 
towards morning, they stopped at some sort of 
an island, where a fire was kindled before a 
palmetto hut, and the entire party lay down on 
the floor to catch a little sleep before day—that 
is, all but one man, who sat bolt upright, in the 
midst of the three prisoners. 

“How did you know we were in the ever¬ 
glades?” queried Roly, before he fell asleep. 

Roly would question anybody. 

“Make smoke here—make smoke there!” was 
the quiet reply. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


215 


66 1 say, Bert, that mast have been the reason 
we saw so many smokes here and yonder. 
These fellows were signaling to each other about 
us and our movements. ” 

Bert was already asleep, but Billy Keywest 
nodded an assent. He explained further: 

“ Injun see us on Alipatioka. Make smoke 
to other Injun. Other Injun watch. Other 
Injun make smoke, Incah! Seminole very 
sharp—got good eye. Now we go to sleep.” 

Notwithstanding their short rest, the Semi- 
noles were in their canoes again, after a light 
breakfast, by the time that the sun was well up. 
The direction taken seemed to be somewhat 
more to the westward than the course they had 
followed the day before. 

The character of the country varied but little, 
for the marshes appeared to he interminable. 
Toward mid-day they came to a low, long ridge, 
stretching from north to south, and covered by 
a low growth of hush and saw palmetto. Into 
this some of the watery arteries penetrated at 
various points, and one of these was windingly 


216 


FLORIDA LADS. 


followed for a considerable distance, until it 
gave out completely. 

Then the prisoners were ordered out, and 
their hands loosed on condition that they assist¬ 
ed the Indians in pulling the canoe across a 
portage, the length of which could not be at 
once ascertained by the boys. 

This was warm work, beneath the bright No¬ 
vember sun, and where the wind was largely 
cut off by the dense growth of bushes on every 
side. 

The thunder-storm that had overtaken Mr. 
Arrowsmith’s party came up at last, and cooled 
them all off in a wonderfully quick way by 
drenching them to the skin. After it was over, 
they went to work again at the canoe for half 
an hour, when Roly announced that he had had 
enough of such tugging and straining. 

“If we are prisoners,” he said to Bert, “I 
don’t see why we should help ourselves into a 
worse situation than we are now; for that is 
what it may come to, for all we know.” 

Bert thought likewise, and the two lads de- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


217 


sisted, despite the sour looks and half-intelligi¬ 
ble orders of the Indians. Billy said nothing 
and worked on. 

At last they came into a small, shallow basin 
surrounded by the scrub, and where was another 
palmetto hut. There seemed to be no apparent 
outlet other than a further portage. 

By this time the afternoon was well advanced, 
and the savages set about preparing dinner. A 
burly Indian came to where the boys were rest¬ 
ing under a fringe of low palmetto. 

4 ‘ Get wood, ’ ’ ordered he, roughly. ‘ ‘ White 
boy work. If don’t work, Injun make um 
work. ’ ’ 

“Make us work, eh?” Roly felt too indig¬ 
nant to restrain his tongue just then. They 
were wet, tired and hungry. “I would just like 
to see you make us work any more—” 

‘ ‘ Hush, Roly! ’ 9 interrupted the more discreet 
Bert. “You know we are wholly in their pow¬ 
er, and, if we make them angry, there is no 
knowing what they may do next. Here! you 
sit still. I will help Billy. 


218 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Billy was already kindling a fire, while the 
other Indians, in lazy attitudes, were watching 
him. Roly was thoroughly worn out, and was 
not as strong as Bert at the best. Therefore, 
Bert reasoned that his, own labor, added to 
Billy’s, might prove satisfactory and give the 
younger boy a rest. 

“Bert, I would not do a thing!” said Roly, 
stubbornly. “Let them hustle for us as well as 
themselves, seeing that they have got us into 
this scrape.” 

But Bert went off into the scrub in search of 
wood, while the Seminoles glowered wrathfully 
at Roly, as he stretched himself in the shade. 
The older brother was gone some time, as fire¬ 
wood was rather hard to find amid that wilder¬ 
ness of smaller bushes. 

Some distance from the camp he came sud¬ 
denly into an open glade, and was halted by the 
sight of a man and a girl appearing on the oppo¬ 
site side. The man was an Indian, and on foot 
The girl was mounted on a small marsh pony 
—one of a breed indigenous to that region— 


FLORIDA LADS. 


219 


and Bert was unable to decide whether she was 
a Seminole or not. 

She was handsomely dressed, in a wild, half¬ 
savage way, and wore bright scarlet leggings. 
More than that, she was very pretty, and had a 
look of native refinement somewhat different 
from the Seminole sqnaws. Moreover, she was 
lighter in color, though dark enough to be al¬ 
most swarthy. 

Here is a go! ’ ’ he thought. ‘ ‘ I wonder who 
they are?” 

The man threw up his rifle at first, but see¬ 
ing that Bert was unarmed, and only a lad, he 
re-shouldered the weapon and advanced, fol¬ 
lowed by the girl. 

“What white boy doing here?” he asked, 
shortly. 

Bert briefly explained the situation, indicat¬ 
ing that himself and his friends were prisoners 
in Indian hands. 

The Seminole looked him over critically, then 
motioned forward with his hand, while the girl 
regarded him with what Bert took to be. a 


220 


FLORIDA LADS. 


friendly expression. So lie led the way back 
to the camp without stopping to look any fur¬ 
ther for firewood. 

As they drew near the sound of loud voices 
could be heard. Bert thought he recognized 
Roland’s tone among others. Some kind of 
altercation was going on. Without giving fur¬ 
ther heed to the two with him, he ran forward 
and burst through the figure of palmetto sur¬ 
rounding the camp, and in an instant had 
dashed into a circle of angry faces and uplifted 

9 9 


arms. 


CHAPTER XX. 

NUSKA APPEARS. 

Against one side of the palmetto hut stood 
Roly, looking both angered and frightened. In 
his hands was one of their own Winchesters, 
which he had somehow gotten possession of. 

Around him were several Indians, some of 
them armed, who were evidently watching their 
chance to seize the lad before he should have an 
opportunity of using his weapon. Billy, at the 
fire, where he had been cooking, was now re¬ 
garding the scene with an inscrutable coun¬ 
tenance. 

The sight roused Bert. His prudence was 
lost sight of in a flood of anger on seeing Roly 
threatened in this brutal manner. Only the In¬ 
dian’s dread of the deadly Winchester, united 

'*- 221 — 


222 


FLORIDA LADS. 


to a wish to seize the boy without wounding or 
killing him, had doubtless kept the savages from 
assaulting him with gun or tomahawk. 

“ Stand fast, Roly!” shouted Bert, as he hurst 
through the circle. “I am with you, old fel¬ 
low!” 

He took his place beside his young brother, 
and faced the enclosing Seminoles unarmed, yet 
with a ruddy flush of indignation on his brow. 
After a very brief pause, during which Bert 
picked up a stick, one of the Indians, who had 
slipped as much as possible to one side in edg¬ 
ing towards the pair, ducked his head, and 
seized Roly round the waist before the boy, with 
eyes on the others, could avoid the grasp or use 
his weapon. 

Swift as lightning, Bert whirled, bringing 
down his club at the same time. 

Whack! The Seminole staggered back. As 
he reeled, Bert wrenched from the Indian’s belt 
a half-loosened tomahawk, and whirled it in 
the faces of the rest. Simultaneously Roly lev¬ 
eled his weapon. The stricken Indian, recov- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


223 


ering, appealed to his comrades, who, now thor¬ 
oughly roused, would have made a general as¬ 
sault, that could hardly have resulted other than 
disastrously for the boys, but for a strange in¬ 
terruption. 

A high, clear voice rang out with a startling 
intensity that caused every soul within hearing 
to pause and look around. The young girl 
whom Bert had met in the scrub was speaking, 
while she pointed a quivering finger at the In¬ 
dians, who appeared to cower somewhat beneath 
her reproof. 

What she was saying the boys did not under¬ 
stand, as she spoke in Seminole. The Indian 
with her was watching the scene indifferently, 
as he stood near the pony with his arms folded. 

“Hullo!” ejaculated Roly. “We are all 
right now, I’ll bet. That’s the girl who pulled 
me out of the quicksand, Bert. Can’t she lay it 
on to those rascals.” 

“What made them assault you?” asked Bert, 
as the Indians began to sneak towards their 
now cooked dinner. 


224 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“Wanted me to help cook. I told ’em I’d see 
’em starve first. One of the fools undertook to 
slap me. I grabbed at my gun, and things were 
just getting interesting when you ran in. By 
George, there is that greedy Tom Tiger, too! 
He lifted a dollar out of me. But the girl 
earned it, and more, too. Isn’t she a little 
daisy ! ’ ’ 

“Looks as if she might have white blood in 
her veins,” remarked Bert. “But—li-s-s-h! 
She is coming here.” 

This dialogue, being a sort of aside, was in¬ 
terrupted by the approach of the two new-com¬ 
ers. All the other Indians had retired, either 
because of the girl’s words or in obedience to a 
gesture from Tom Tiger, who appeared to he a 
man of some consequence among his people. 

“White hoy,” said Tom Tiger, in a gruff, hut 
not unfriendly tone. “Quicksand. What 
say!” 

“Well, I must say that you and this young 
lady are just about as welcome now as you were 
then.” 


FLORIDA LADS. 


225 


And Roly laughed amiably as he spoke. 

Tom Tiger grinned; then, after a few low 
words with his companion, turned toward the 
fire. 

The girl had dismounted, springing lightly 
to the ground, while the pony began to crop the 
young palmetto leaves. She held out her hand, 
and both boys shook it in the Indian fashion, 
noticing that it was small and soft. 

‘ ‘ I am glad to see you, * 9 said she to Roly. ‘ ‘ Is 
this a friend of yours V 9 indicating Bert. 

“Yes, rather. He is my brother. We are 
awfully obliged to you. It begins to look as if 
I should have fared hardly more than once if 
you had not come to the rescue.” 

“Yes? I did not know my people would be 
so rude to white strangers. But they are much 
angered now about the death of one of our 
young men at the hands of strange pale-faces. 
It is hardly safe for you in the everglades just 
now.” 

“So it seems,” replied Bert. “But we have 
harmed no one—that is, unless you count that 


226 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Seminole whose head I must have made sore a 
moment ago. But he was to blame. If you re¬ 
gret it, I am sure Roly and I do now.” 

“Is that, his name—Roly?” pointing to the 
younger lad. “And what is yours?” 

“We are Roland and Bertwood Arrowsmith. 
They call us Roly and Bert—for short, you 
know. ’ 9 

“Roly and Bert. I like that. Did you say 
Arrowsmith?” Her manner became strangely 
eager. 

“Yes. We are down here with our father and 
two guides. One of them is Billy Key west. 
When we were captured yesterday, we left them 
at our camp . 9 ’ 

“I know Billy Keywest.” She smiled, and 
her pretty lip curled contemptuously. “He is 
a fool. Tustenuggee will be angry with him.” 

“And you know Tustenuggee! My father 
came to see the chief. They have business to¬ 
gether. At New River we were joined by Man¬ 
atee Zeke. Do you know him?” 

“Yes. He is half white. My people think 


FLORIDA LADS. 


227 


that his heart may be all white. But we shall 
see. But if you are sons of the Arrowsmith I 
have heard about, you 1 need have no fear. I 
will see that you are well treated, and that you 
shall see your father. ’ ’ 

“Thanks, miss,” said Roly. “But will you 
not let us know to whom we are indebted? You 
speak good English, and you don’t seem much 
like a Seminole yourself—” 

“I am all Seminoie,” she interrupted, a little 
sternly. “I am called Nuska. But you must be 
hungry. Let us join the others . 9 ’ 

She led the way toward where the Indians 
were eating. Three portions of boiled hominy 
and broiled venison had been placed on three 
clean, fresh palmetto leaves. Tom Tiger, who 
seemed to have assumed command of the rest, 
motioned toward the waiting dinner, without 
ceasing his own operations in that line. 

“Eat,” said he. “Must go soon.” 

As there were no knives and forks handy, 
Roly deftly whittled out three small spoons 
from palmetto stems, giving one each to Nuska 


228 


FLORIDA LADS. 


and Bert. Then they fell to upon their several 
portions. 

Nuska ate daintily and becomingly, as became 
a pretty girl. The Indians, including Billy, 
fairly crammed themselves in an expeditious* 
manner, while the hoys, being hungry, also ate 
heartily. 

Little more was said at the time. Once, at a 
question from Roly, who was irrepressible, Nus¬ 
ka glanced at the Seminoles, then elevated her 
eyebrows in a meaning way, without replying. 
It was evident she did not wish to talk much 
before her own people. 

When the meal was over, the pulling and lift¬ 
ing of the canoe was resumed. Billy assisted, 
as usual, though it was apparent that the hoys 
were not now expected to toil. They tarried 
behind with Nuska and Tiger, who did not at 
once start. 

Bert assisted her to mount her pony. At first 
she seemed disposed to get upon a log, and do 
without aid, hut his manner was so earnest, yet 
respectful, that, with a little laugh, she suffered 


FLORIDA LADS. 


229 


him to place one foot on his knee, and, steady¬ 
ing herself by his hand, swung lightly into the 
saddle, which was a sort of pillion, with a sup¬ 
port for the leg and one stirrup. 

Tom Tiger glared a little, then started for¬ 
ward at right angles to the course taken by the 
other Indians with the canoe. 

“You must go with them,” said she, pointing. 
“We travel by another route. Good-by. You 
will see us again.’ ’ 

And she was off without allowing them to say 
a word other than a parting greeting. The 
boys turned away rather reluctantly as Nuska 
disappeared in Tiger’s wake. 

“I’d rather go with her—hadn’t you!” said 
Roly, as they followed the canoe party. 

“Yes, but you see she doesn’t want us along. 
She has made things smoother for us, though. 
It appears that she has influence with those fel¬ 
lows.” 

“She is a brick, that’s what she is! You 
should have seen her pull me out of that quick¬ 
sand, Bert.” 


230 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Bert laughed. Presently they came up with 
the others, who, to the surprise of the boys, had 
launched the canoe at the head of a narrow 
reach of water that penetrated the scrub at a 
point unseen before. 

“Get in,” said one of the Seminoles, pointing 
with his finger. “To-night white boy see Tus- 
tenuggee. ’ ’ 

The boys obeyed, though the rest waded for 
some distance, until the water grew deeper; 
then, one by one, they all got into the canoe, and 
the poling and paddling was resumed as they 
re-entered the seemingly interminable marshes. 

The Indians said nothing except among them¬ 
selves. Yet their resentment seemed to have 
died away. They were gruff, grim and taciturn 
now, but there was no further attempt to im¬ 
pose labor or bonds on their white captives. 

Billy talked a good deal in Seminole, and his 
contagious good humor appeared to lessen 
somewhat the ill-feeling with which he was re¬ 
garded by his countrymen. 

Once he wormed his way to where Bert and 


FLORIDA LADS. 


231 


Roly sat. 

Big war feast coming,” he whispered. 
“Big sugar-cane dance. Mebbe see heap fun. 
Mebbe Tustenuggee no let.” 

This was a little enigmatical, but Billy would 
say nothing more. He merely grinned and 
made his way back to his paddle. 

For three hours the monotonous journey con¬ 
tinued without any occurence of importance. 
At last a tall column of smoke rose up before 
them beyond a pale, low line along the horizon. 

At the sight the Indians renewed their exer¬ 
tions, and the canoe spun forward faster than 
before. A subdued excitement manifested itself 
among them as the sun went slowly down. 

“I wonder what is going to happen next?” 
muttered Roly. 


CHAPTER XXI. 

TOGETHER ONCE MORE. 

When Mr. Arrowsmith propounded his anx¬ 
ious query to Metacumba, the sub-chief again 
pointed towards the far-distant specks on the 
surface of the everglades. 

“Tustenuggee,” he repeated, vaguely. 

“Ho you mean that our fate is in the hands 
of your head chief ?” 

“Seminole do as chief say. Seminole big 
warrior. Tustenuggee say die, then paleface 
die. Tustenuggee say live, then paleface live.” 

“If it depends on Tustenuggee, we are all 
right. Have I not told you that I am here to 
see Tustenuggee, at his own desire ?” 

Metacumba smiled and shrugged his shoul¬ 
ders. How was he to know whether the white 


- 232 — 


FLORIDA LADS. 


233 


man was lying or not ! 

Mr. Arrowsmith took out his field-glass, 
which he happened to have along and which 
the Indians had not taken, probably because 
they did not understand its use. He leveled it 
at the approaching dots on the marshes ; then 
he started, with gratified surprise. 

“Look!” said he, handing the glass to the 
sub-chief. “ I see my boys! ’ ’ 

Metacumba awkwardly and indifferently ap¬ 
plied the glass to his eyes, when he, too, started 
back in surprise. He looked at the glass, then 
at Mr. Arrowsmith. 

“Big medicine?” pointing to the field-glass. 
“Graybeard make it tell him anything!” 

Mr. Arrowsmith endeavored to explain the 
properties of the instrument. Metacumba re¬ 
garded the white man with increased respect. 

“Graybeard very wise. Carry great med¬ 
icine. Tustenuggee no come—yet.” 

The glass had made plain that, instead of the 
head chief, the party approaching was that of 
Bert and Roland. The smoke seen by the boys 


234 


FLORIDA LADS. 


was a signal sent np by Metacumba to notify 
the head chief, who was supposed to be some¬ 
where near, that he was wanted. 

During the half hour that elapsed before 
the party arrived, the sun went down and the 
swift twilight was rapidly narrowing the hor¬ 
izon on every side. 

The prisoners, though under strict surveil¬ 
lance, were allowed to go about as they pleased, 
within the precincts of the village. There being 
nearly fifty men around, not to mention women 
and children, there was little likelihood of es¬ 
cape, especially as the canoes were guarded. 
The hummock was like an island, and sur¬ 
rounded on every side by water and marsh for 
miles. 

Darkness had fallen before the party arrived, 
with whom were Roland and Bert. The meet¬ 
ing between the boys and their father was not 
only cordial, but affecting, as all three had been 
in situations of real peril. 

Billy Keywest greeted his tribesmen in his 
jaunty, o if-hand way, which was responded to 


FLORIDA LADS. 


235 


with coldness on the part of some and with in¬ 
difference by others. Among the women and 
children he was a favorite, doubtless owing to 
his jovial disposition. He was, however, under 
a cloud, more or less, with all, and his reception 
was guarded, until the nature of Tustenuggee’s 
pleasure concerning him should be known. 

While Baya and Manatee Zeke kept a good 
deal to themselves, as being under vague sus¬ 
picion alike, the father and sons related to each 
other the adventures which had befallen them¬ 
selves. 

Metacumba stalked solemnly about, impa¬ 
tient for the arrival of his chief. One or two 
sharp glances he bestowed upon Billy, but 
otherwise he took no notice of the disobedient 
exile. 

After supper, several other parties of In¬ 
dians arrived, evidently to attend the war- 
feast and dance that was to take place when 
Tustenuggee arrived. 

This was one of the annual gatherings of the 
tribe. In the summer, the green corn feast and 


236 


FLORIDA LADS. 


dance was the occasion of another, for this isol¬ 
ated remnant of a once great tribe are very 
punctilious in observing their social and relig¬ 
ious ceremonies. They seem to regard these re¬ 
unions as state affairs. 

About nine o’clock Tom Tiger and Nuska 
arrived. At this time Metacumba had ordered 
all the prisoners under guard, and designated 
a close-looking log hut on the hill as the place 
of their confinement for the night. As the night 
was warm, Mr. Arrowsmith protested, saying 
that he and the boys would prefer remaining 
in the open air. 

But the objections were overruled, and the 
prisoners were being hustled away, when Nus- 
ka, who had not yet dismounted, saw what was 
going on. She struck her pony sharply, and 
dashed across one of the fires, scattering the 
embers, and demanded to know what was the 
matter. 

A warrior undertook to explain, but Meta¬ 
cumba broke in with harsh words and angry 
gestures. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


237 


“It is my will,” said he, in the native lan¬ 
guage. “Enough! My will is law until Tus- 
tenuggee comes . 9 9 

Nuska regarded him with great scorn. Tri¬ 
bal gossip had it that he wanted to marry her 
in another year, but that at any intimation of 
such fact she would express her dislike of him 
and her detestation of the idea. She now rode 
forward, planting herself and her pony before 
the door of the guard-house. 

“You shall not treat these white men so,” 
she exclaimed. “Tustenuggee will be angry. 
They are his friends.” 

Metacumba’s features expressed both admir¬ 
ation and rage. He said something to his men, 
and attempted to lead the pony out of the way, 
whereat Nuska, after telling him to release her 
rein, gave him a stinging blow across the neck 
with the riding-whip. 

This was a deadly insult, and to a chief. The 
Indian on-lookers fairly gasped in horrified 
amazement, while Metacumba, laying his hand 
on the switch, seemed to be actually choking 


238 


FLORIDA LADS. 


with contending passions. 

“In with them!” he finally shouted, at the 
same time roughly seizing the girl by the waist 
and dragging her anyhow from the horse. ‘ ‘ In 
with the white dogs! ’ ’ 

Nuska screamed as he was bearing her away. 
The sight was too much for Roly’s prudence. 
When he heard her agonized entreaty, as he in¬ 
terpreted that cry, he burst from his guard, 
picked up a smoking brand from the fire, and 
rushed upon the sub-chief. 

Bert, realizing that Roly was in for it now, 
sprang forward himself, while their father 
stood vainly commanding them to refrain 
from acts that in the end could result only in 
probable injury to themselves. 

Metacumbe saw the whirling stick Roly was 
brandishing, one end starting into a blaze, and 
as it came down he dodged, having to release 
the girl in order to save himself. 

A mere club he might have faced, but even 
a warrior could hardly be expected to risk a 
burning when threatened in this way. But as 


FLORIDA LADS. 


239 


lie dodged he drew his hunting-knife and struck 
at Bert, who then happened to be nearest, as 
Roly was attending to Nuska. The lad avoided 
the thrust and seized the sub-chief’s arm. 

‘ ‘ Hullo! ’ ’ cried Roly, noticing this. ‘ ‘ Excuse 
me a minute, Nuska. ’ ’ 

And he again ran forward, this time bringing 
down his improvised weapon on Metacumba’s 
voluminous turban, which straightway took 
fire. Then the boys closed in, and had not help 
arrived, might have put the redoubtable Sem¬ 
inole to flight, for, between his smoking head- 
gear and the danger of further ignition at the 
hands .of Roly, he could not acquit himself as 
nobly as his reputation required that a sub¬ 
chief should do. 

Nuska burst out laughing. Even the Sem- 
inoles grinned; but a number of them threw 
themselves on the boys, who were not only held 
helpless, but again bound. 

Metacumba, having got rid of his turban, 
trembled with passion. He was mortified as 
well, not only by Nuska’s open aversion, but 


240 


FLORIDA LADS. 


through Roly’s adroit assault. 

‘ 4 Bind them to the stake!” said he, in cold 
tones of concentrated rage. “They shall die! 
They have insulted a chief! ’ ’ 

He was mutely obeyed, for in Tustenuggee’s 
absence his will was the supreme law. When 
Mr. Arrowsmith attempted to remonstrate he 
ordered him to be silent. 

“I will not be silent!” cried the anxious 
father. “If you would be civil and behave 
yourself, my sons would not give you trouble. 
When Tustenuggee comes—” 

“When Tustenuggee comes he will behold the 
vengeance of a chief!” 

Metacumba still spoke in Seminole, as if he 
disdained the language of the paleface, in his 
wrath, but his gestures and manner evinced a 
deadly purpose. 

Mr. Arrowsmith again protested, but the 
savage thrust him roughly aside, and ordered 
all the prisoners except the two boys to be con¬ 
veyed inside the guard-house, which was sur¬ 
rounded at once by a chain of sentinels. Bert 


FLORIDA LADS. 


241 


and Roly, meanwhile, had been bonnd to an up¬ 
right post near by, back to back. 

Though the rest of the Indians were not par¬ 
ticularly angered, they never thought of hesi¬ 
tating over the command of their sub-chief. 

Such united action at last appeared to im¬ 
press Nuska with a sense of danger. She ran 
to Tom Tiger, who was one of the minor chiefs, 
and spoke to him entreatingly at first, then with 
anger and contempt, as he appeared to decline 
to accede to her desire. 

“Metacumba!” she called out, at length. 

“Let squaws keep silence when warriors have 
work to do,” he coldly replied, as he watched 
the helpless forms of his young captives. 
“Nuska is but a girl.”- 

“You are all heartless!” declared Nuska. 

‘ ‘ Oh, that I were a man! But Tustenuggee will 
come. He will know why those whom he sent 
for have been thus treated. Metacumba is a 
coward! ’ 1 

“Silence!” shouted the angry chief, advanc¬ 
ing, with a menacing gesture. “Silence!” 


CHAPTEE XXII. 


nuska's friendly aid—a struggle. 

The girl did not quail or retreat, but eyed the 
Indian with such intense aversion in every line¬ 
ament that some of the women laughed. Met- 
acumba himself appeared to remember that his 
dignity was suffering by an altercation with a 
mere ‘‘squaw,’’ and he turned away. 

It soon began to be seen that the Indians 
were going to have some kind of festivity. A 
party arrived shortly after the scene between 
Nuska and Metacumha. They bore a number 
of kegs and jugs, together with several sacks 
filled with canned goods. 

The shout that arose indicated that this party 
was especially welcome. There was much 
hand-shaking and Seminole jabbering, amid 

- 242 - 


FLORIDA LADS. 


243 


which many “incahs” and other ejaculations 
of joy and sociability were heard. Still they 
waited for Tustenuggee. Finally a runner ar¬ 
rived who talked apart with Metacumba and 
other head men. Then Metacumba made a 
speech, and every one gathered around a large 
fire, near where the boys were tied to the stake. 

For some reason the feast began without 
waiting for the arrival of the head chief. A fat 
ox was already dressed; also a fat shote. At a 
signal from Metacumba the two animals were 
cut into four quarters. A trench had been pre¬ 
pared. This, filled with live coals, thinly cov¬ 
ered with ashes, on which were laid a layer of 
moistened green palmetto fans, was made the 
roasting “oven” of all this meat, that was 
closely packed thereon. Another layer of fans 
covered it, over which went a coat of ashes; 
then more coals, and over all wood was heaped. 

Metacumba then made a short speech. He 
bragged on himself a good deal, and on the 
Seminoles generally. He praised Tustenuggee, 
regretted his absence, but intimated that on a 


244 


FLORIDA LADS. 


pinch the sacred ceremonies attached to their 
great festival conld go on without him. 

It was hinted in the tribe that Metacumba 
was jealous of the old head chief, and was fur¬ 
tively laying his plans to be Tustenuggee ’s suc¬ 
cessor. 

After he sat down, other warriors rose and 
made speeches in turn. They spoke grandly 
of themselves and the departed glory of the 
Seminoles; how the whites had divided them 
and exiled their brethren. Then by degrees 
the recent murder at Miami was touched upon, 
and the enormity of the crime exaggerated. 

All this titne the fire-water was passing. Some 
kind of home brew, made of honey, corn and 
sweet bay leaves, also circulated freely. 

Nuska, watching all this from among the 
women, began to grow anxious. At times she 
went away from the noise and the glare, and 
listened for some sound that should denote the 
approach of Tustenuggee and his party. 

At length the party arrived, but there was no 
Tustenuggee along. Only six stalwart and 


FLORIDA LADS. 


245 


grave Seminoles walked into the circle of 
merry-makers, where the meat was baking and 
the two wearied white lads were standing back 
to back, bound against the stake. They also 
noted the chain of sentries around the cabin 
where were the other prisoners. Metacumba 
rose to explain, after conferring with the new 
arrivals. 

“My friends,” said he, in Seminole, “Tus- 
tennggee is smoking his medicine on Caloo- 
sahachie. He wishes to appear well before the 
Great Spirit before he meets his children and 
leads in the sugar-cane dance. But he bids ns 
eat, drink and have a good time. We have 
overcome the paleface, and we shall have re¬ 
venge. If Tnstennggee is not here to say it, I, 
Metacumba, say it; and what I say, I know. 
Incah! I have spoken. ’ ’ 

He resumed his seat with an air intended to 
convey the idea that if Tustenuggee neglected 
his public duties at such a time in favor of his 
private religious affairs, he had a worthy rep¬ 
resentative in the person of Metacumba. 


246 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Other speeches followed. As the speakers 
warmed to their work, their talk grew more 
personal. Malevolent glances were cast at the 
two white boys. Taunting remarks, in broad 
Seminole, were thrown at them, which, though 
the captives did not understand the words, the 
meaning remained clear from the increasing 
vindictiveness of the Indians’ looks and man¬ 
ner. 

The women, growing noiser, began to crowd 
about the two boys. One squaw, rather old and 
ugly, gave Roly a pinch. This he resented by 
pushing her away, which caused a slight com¬ 
motion. 

Nuska rapidly made way into the midst of 
the disturbers and energetically pushed them 
back. As she was regarded with deference, as a 
ward of Tustenuggee, no one resisted her, 
though there was some grumbling. But others 
soon pressed close about the stake, and when¬ 
ever Nuska’s back was turned the captives 
would be furtively pinched or struck at. 

While the attention of the crowd was at- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


247 


tracted to Roly, whose tongue was seldom re¬ 
strained, a voice whispered in Bert’s ear: 

“Here is a knife. Hide it. If they proceed 
to violence cut the withes that bind you both 
and rush for the house where the other white 
men are.” 

Bert felt a jack-knife thrust into his hand, 
which he managed to convey to his pocket.. 
Their arms had not been bound, it seemed. Only 
body ropes confined them to the post. It was 
Nuska, of course, who had given Bert the knife 
and the warning, probably deeming him more 
discreet than Roly. Why she should again take 
so much trouble in their behalf he could not 
imagine, except on the ground of pure hu¬ 
manity. 

A moment later Nuska was talking with the 
sentinel who stood nearest the door of the 
guard-house. This young man evidently had a 
regard for the fair Seminole maid, and, though 
he remonstrated some, he seemed at last to as¬ 
sent to her proposition, whatever it was. 

After that Nuska, when the other sentries 


248 


FLORIDA LADS. 


were not looking, slipped inside and released 
every one of the prisoners from their bonds. 
To each she whispered a few words, then glided 
out as swiftly as she had entered. The first 
person she ran against was Tom Tiger, making 
the rounds to see that all was well. 

4 ‘Where now?” began the warrior. 

But before he could get further, Nuska 
placed her little hand on Tiger’s mouth and 
drew him aside. 

“Listen!” said she. “Are you not my 
cousin?” 

Tiger nodded, and attempted to speak again, 
hut was similarly quelled by once more having 
his lips covered. 

“Let Nuska speak. Metacumba is a fool. He 
would take the place of my uncle, Tustenuggee. 
You know that?” 

Tiger silently assented. 

“Listen!” she repeated. “Metacumba does 
not like these white men. They are friends of 
Tustenuggee. You and I, who believe that Tus- 
tenuggee’s word is the law, must see that these 


FLORIDA LADS. 


249 


white men are not harmed. Tustenuggee will 
be here. I say he will be here!’ 9 

She stamped her little foot emphatically as 
she said this. 

Tiger meditated. 

“The young squaw ,’ 9 he at length said, 
“knows Tom Tiger is her slave. We are of 
the same blood, though she is half-white from 
the Spaniards beyond Key west. We will watch 
and we will wait for Tustenuggee. Incah! Let 
us go.” 

“Don’t you drink any more fire-water, 
Tom,” warned Nuska, as they rejoined the cir¬ 
cle where the now cooked meat was being un¬ 
earthed and placed in great wooden bowls and 
platters, as it steamed forth in appetizing odor. 
“We must watch the others. We must keep 
cool. Nuska relies on her friend, and Tuste¬ 
nuggee will reward him. Perhaps Tiger will 
yet stand in the false Metacumba’s place.” 

A crafty gleam of ambitious hope stole into 
Tom Tiger’s eye. Nuska had touched him on 
his most vulnerable point. He pressed her 


250 


FLORIDA LADS. 


hand as they mingled with the now laughing, 
shouting, dancing crowd about the fires. 

In the meantime the speech-making and the 
general hilarity had increased in vigor to the 
point of uproariousness. A circle of squaws 
and boys were dancing about the two white 
lads, occasionally pulling and pinching them, 
to their great discomfort. 

Metacumba was waving his arms, and de¬ 
scanting on the many recent injuries inflicted 
by the pale-faces on their red brethren, punc¬ 
tuating his remarks by sundry allusions to their 
prisoners the reverse of complimentary. Ac¬ 
cording to him, the white people were not only 
bad, but cowardly, and Tustenuggee was far, 
too lenient in his dealings with that perfidious 
race. 

“Roly,” whispered Bert, “be cautious now. 
If these rascals get too troublesome, I am going 
to cut ourselves loose. Do you hear?” 

“Yes. I wish you would do it now, if you 
have a way. Ouch!” 

This exclamation as a withered old woman 


FLORIDA LADS. 


251 


nipped him on the arm in a way that made the 
boy feel as if he and part of his flesh had parted 
company. 

“I say, Bert,” he added, “I can’t stand much 
more of this.” 

At this time one of the young men, excited 
by Metacumba’s inflammatory words, seized a 
burning brand, rushed through the women, and 
thrust the blazing fagot in Bert’s face. Other 
young warriors followed, each one endeavoring 
by some act of aggravation, and even torture, 
to render the boys desperate. A furious chorus 
of yells rang out. The brave called Tiger-tail, 
evidently half crazed by rage and fire-water, 
struck the post over Roly’s head with his toma¬ 
hawk. 

‘ ‘ Now, Bert, ’ ’ said Roly. ‘ ‘ What’s the use of 
waiting any longer? I—” 

Snap! went the knife, and Roly felt his body 
released. 

il Follow me!” exclaimed Bert. “Make for 
the guard-house!” 

Both boys dashed through the circle of their 


252 


FLORIDA LADS. 


tormentors so suddenly that the surprise caused 
even the young men to fall back for an instant. 
They ran among the old warriors beyond, up¬ 
setting a tray of cooked meat and overturning 
the great Metacumba himself as that worthy 
was adding a savage peroration to his speech. 

Then the whole concourse, men, women and 
children, strung themselves into a confused 
pursuing mass. 

One warrior tackled Bert about the waist in 
a way that reminded him of the foot-ball rush 
at the last match game, when his own team 
played the Ocala Club. He instantly adopted 
a counter duck and trip, with the result that the 
brave went sprawling, his hold loosened by his 
own fall. 

But others were around them. Both Roly and 
Bert were soon the centres of a struggling 
mass, that swarmed over and around them like 
bees before the guard-house door. Then the 
door itself was thrown open from within. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


DRAGGED TO THE COUNCIL-HOUSE. 

Mr. Arrowsmitk first appeared, with Baya 
close behind. As they came forward the dark 
faces of Billy Keywest and Manatee Zeke were 
to be seen gazing wonderingly on the scene 
without. When Mr. Arrowsmith saw the situa¬ 
tion of his sons, whatever prudence he might 
have had disappeared before the rush of paren¬ 
tal solicitude. He threw himself into the mass 
of struggling Seminoles, and strove to reach 
Bert and Roly. 

The Indians, thinking a general outbreak of 
all the prisoners was at hand, raised the war- 
whoop, and in an instant a score or more of 
knives and tomahawks were flashing in the fire¬ 
light. 


- 253 - 


254 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“Save my children!” cried the father, fight¬ 
ing his foes with a strength he had not thought 
himself possessed of. 

Baya, aroused by the sight and cry, also 
threw himself on a warrior, who was brandish¬ 
ing a knife over Bert as the hoy still struggled, 
though half a dozen hands were grasping him; 
but Zeke whispered to Billy, in the Indian 
tongue: 

“Let them alone. Why should you and I 
fight for a pale-facef” 

So they stood aloof, while Metacumba, with 
one hand grasping Roly, who was also held by 
others, pointed to the great council-house on 
the other side of the fire. 

“We will enter there,” said he, in tones of 
concentrated rage. “Let us sit in judgment on 
these white dogs, who have stolen in among us. 
They shall die before the sun rises. I have 
spoken. Let the council affirm my words.” 

At this juncture, Tom Tiger, spurred on by 
Nuska, placed himself in Metacumba’s path. 

“Let us wait,” he said, raising his voice, that 


FLORIDA LADS. 


255 


all might hear. 44 Tustenuggee is not here.” 

44 Brothers!” shouted Metacumba, still ad¬ 
vancing with his prisoner. 4 4 Whose fault is it 
that Tustenuggee is not here? Have we not 
waited for him since yesterday? WHien Tus¬ 
tenuggee is not here, Metacumba is chief. We 
will wait no longer* ’ ’ 

An assenting sound went up from certain of 
the listeners, who, for reasons best known to 
themselves, were in favor of no delay. 

The excitement’ and the fire-water, and, more 
than all, the Indian sense that a wrong had been 
done them at Miami, had brought their retribu¬ 
tive desire to a white heat. Moreover, the re¬ 
sistance of the prisoners was stirring up blood¬ 
thirsty cravings, that were usually held in abey¬ 
ance, as against the dreaded and powerful 
white race, by whom they had long ago been 
conquered. 

So the mob surged across the square, hearing 
not only the hoys, but their father and Bava. 

Billy and Zeke prudently lurked in the back¬ 
ground. Probably their race sympathies, in 


256 


FLORIDA LADS. 


such an emergency, were with the Seminoles. 

During the passage across the open space to¬ 
ward the closed council-house, some brutal sav¬ 
age struck Mr. Arrowsmith to accelerate his 
movements. 

Bert saw the blow. Tired as he was, the 
youth twisted himself by a supreme effort from 
the grasp of those who held him, and, spring¬ 
ing at the Indian, knocked him squarely down 
by a blow straight from the shoulder. His jack¬ 
knife was out in a trice, and, by another thrust, 
he made Metacumba momentarily give back to 
avoid the knife. 

“Here, Roly!” he gasped. “Help father!” 

Somehow—so quick it happened none could 
r tell how—the two brave lads had placed them¬ 
selves on either side of their father, ready to 
take the worst if they might shelter, even but 
for a moment, the parent they loved so well. 
And now Nuska was thrusting her slight form 
here and there, pushing boldly back the more 
forward young men, who, though they avoided 
her as well as they could, never offered to strike 


FLORIDA LADS. 


257 


as long as she was in the way. 

“Are the Seminoles dogs with white hearts, 
that they are frightened hy boys?” asked Meta- 
cumba, raging more than ever. 

“If yon be men,” cried Nuska, “show it by 
saving the lives of these helpless white stran¬ 
gers, who have come here trusting you. Tus- 
tenuggee — ” 

But she got no further; for Metacumba, seiz¬ 
ing her round the waist, closed her mouth with 
his other hand. Tiger made at him, but was 
stopped by several warriors. Another com¬ 
bined rush was made on the prisoners. During 
this affair the crowd had swerved across the 
open space until they were before the door of 
the council-house. 

Blows fell, savage cries resounded, as Bert 
and Roly, both fighting desperately, went down, 
together with Mr. Arrowsmith, beneath a mass 
of struggling Seminoles. 

In another moment all three would no doubt 
have paid their lives for the temerity they had 
shown. But even as they felt the suffocating 


258 


FLORIDA LADS. 


weight of their enemies upon them, a high, 
shrill, cracked voice was heard that penetrated 
through the heavier uproar like the report of a 
rifle in a thundershower. 

The well-known, dreaded, yet unexpected, 
tones operated on the Indians in a manner not 
unlike an electric shock. The combatants arose 
and glanced toward the suddenly opened door 
of the council-house. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

TUSTENUGGEE PRONOUNCES JUDGMENT. 

Tustenuggee himself was standing before his 
people. 

He looked them over, while an expression of 
scorn and indignation overspread itself upon 
his puckered and withered visage. The minute 
Roly saw him he had energy enough left to 
nudge Bert with his elbow, for the prisoners 
had risen with their captors, and, beyond 
scratches and torn clothing, were not much 
worse off than when the fight began. 

“I say, Bert,” he whispered, “it’s the old 
codger I saved from the ’gator, rags and all. I 
guess we will be on top now. ’ ’ 

Tustenuggee was the dirtiest and meanest- 
dressed man in that whole assemblage, his per- 

- 259 - 


260 


FLORIDA LADS. 


son was insignificant and his aspect almost 
trampish. Bnt there was no question as to the 
nature of his authority from the first. Even 
Metacumba quailed before his small, alert eye, 
like a child before an angered parent. 

“ What is the matter with my children ?” 
asked he, at last. “Is it the fire-water? Is it 
Tuskee Wachee” (had spirit) “that has got 
into them? Speak, before I pronounce judg¬ 
ment on my young men.’ ’ 

As he spoke in Seminole, the Arrowsmiths 
could only gather his meaning from his voice 
and manner, which was that of one gravely of¬ 
fended. 

“My father, 9 ’ replied Metacumba, humbly 
enough, “we did not know you were here. 
Those who accompanied you said that you were 
on Caloosahachie. Then while we were grieved, 
the fire-water took away our minds. We only 
remembered that the white men at Miami had 
slain our brother. We heard in our hearts our 
brother’s spirit crying for vengeance. We said 
Geechee Wachee” (great spirit) “had placed 


FLORIDA LADS. 


261 


these white men in our hands. We remembered 
our dead brother’s cry. This is all. Why 
should my father be angry!” 

This was a shrewd plea, very subtly devised 
to both play upon cherished tribal prejudices, 
and avert Tustenuggee’s suspicion from any 
ulterior designs which Metacumba might be 
cherishing as to making himself the successor 
of Tustenuggee. Every Seminole felt that the 
death of the Miami Indian should be wiped out 
in white blood. That was Indian doctrine pure 
and simple. If the perpetrator had escaped, 
it was just, according to their idea, to slay some 
other paleface. Where, therefore, was Meta¬ 
cumba in the wrong! 

But Tustenuggee did not abate his sternness 
as he motioned the sub chief aside. But before 
he could speak, Nuska glided up to him as he 
still stood in the portal of the council-house, 
from which he had just appeared. She whis¬ 
pered something in his ear, pointing towards 
the Arrowsmiths and stamping her foot as she 
appeared to denounce something or somebody 


262 


FLORIDA LADS. 


to the chief, who, after giving her a kindly 
smile, waved her aside. 

“Metacumba, it is well,” said he, looking 
very sharply at the sub chief. 11 Tustennggee is 
wise with the length of years. He reads many 
hearts like an open book. Therefore we re¬ 
turned alone that we might see and judge, and 
not be fooled. Enough. I have blown away 
your folly like a mouthful of smoke. But I 
trust you not. ’ 9 

Metaeumba edged himself back into the 
crowd, feeling that his plotting and his purpose 
were not as well concealed as he had hoped 
they were. Tustenuggee beckoned and pointed. 

u Bring these white men before me,” he com¬ 
manded. “ Place them there. Bring also the 
others. My medicine tells me that there are red 
men here whose hearts have turned white . 91 

The Arrowsmitlis and the Minorcan were 
hurriedly placed in a line before the chief, who 
looked at them with an inscrutable eye. 

Roly could hardly realize that this dignified 
old man was the same one whom he had met un- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


263 


der such different circumstances. 

He desired to recall himself to the chiefs 
recollection, but something in Tustenuggee’s 
non-committal yet penetrating mien deterred 
the boy from speaking. Mr. Arrowsmith at¬ 
tempted to say a word, but was hushed by a 
significant gesture from the old man, who re¬ 
garded him closely, yet without any sign of 
recognition. 

Then the crowd parted, and Billy Keywest, 
followed by Manatee Zeke, were thrust forward 
by their guards, and placed beside the white 
prisoners. 

Tustenuggee’s face darkened instantly as he 
beheld Billy. 

“My medicine told me right,” he said, 
sternly. “Why is my son not at Pinnewaha- 
chee? Wliy has he come here like a toad that 
hops into the wigwam after flies?” 

Billy wriggled and looked everywhere but at 
Tustenuggee. Some of the young men laughed 
at his confusion, but were silenced by a scowl 
from the old chief. 


264 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“My ears are open/’ added Tustenuggee, 
with a cunning assumption of calmness. “Let 
my son speak up very loud. My ears will soon 
be shut.’’ 

This threat increased Billy’s perturbation. 

“Holowaugus!” he began, then stopped and 
gasped at such a disrespectful slip of the 
tongue, this being a kind of byword expressive 
of objurgation. Then, as Tustenuggee evinced 
signs of impatience, he burst forth, “Billy was 
alone too much. A bird sung in his ear about 
the joy of being with his people.” 

“Yet he did not come. He went with the pale¬ 
faces.” 

“Billy needed money. When he had money, 
he came. He is here now. Incah! Billy has 
spoken. ’ ’ 

“Let my son give me his money. I will take 
care of it lest he spend it for fire-water.” 

Billy, who had begun to congratulate himself 
on the way he had reasoned himself out of a 
scrape, as he thought, suddenly looked more 
alarmed than ever. 


FLORIDA LADS. 


265 


Some of the Indian girls tittered. He heaved 
a great sigh, then produced from some recess of 
his clothing that had escaped the eye of those 
who searched him two silver dollars and a 
much-worn bank-note, which Tustenuggee ap¬ 
propriated without a word of thanks. 

“My son has sold himself for a very little. 
He wears the old rags of his new masters. Is 
his heart all white?” 

Billy shook his head vigorously, and pro¬ 
tested that he would always live and die a true 
Seminole, or used words to that effect. But 
Tustenuggee looked skeptical. He pondered for 
a moment. 

“Take him away,” he said, at last. “Wash 
my son. Wash all the white from his heart, and 
the paleface rags from his skin. Let him come 
before me as a Seminole, not as a man that is 
neither white nor red. I have spoken.” 

Billy was whisked away, minus his money, 
which he probably never saw again. Then 
Manatee Zeke was called upon to explain the 
reason of his presence here with the white peo- 


266 


FLORIDA LADS. 


pie and without his wife. This he did volubly 
and at great length. But as his affairs do not 
pertain much to the thread of this story, it may 
be said his reasoning seemed to be satisfactory 
to the chief. Bay a, whose turn came next, 
merely explained that he was here in the em¬ 
ploy of Mr. Arrowsmith, and remained only be¬ 
cause he could not get away. 

4 ‘And yet we like the Dark Skin"—this name 
was given on account of the Minorcan's 
swarthy complexion—“so well that he will stay 
with us a while longer." 

As this might be conveniently construed into 
either a compliment or a round-about threat, 
Baya thought best to make no reply. 

Tustenuggee, still apparently oblivious of 
certain furtive signs of recognition on the part 
of Roly, turned his heady black eyes on Mr. Ar¬ 
rowsmith, who bore the scrutiny remarkably 
well. 

“What has my father to say for himself 
he asked, at length. “What has he to say for 
himself and for his sons, who, though strong, 


FLOEIDA LADS. 


267 


are very youngf ” 

This reference to the boys caused the irre¬ 
pressible Eoly to call out, in a loud voice: 

“Don’t you remember me, Tustenuggee? 
Seems to me you talk better English to my 
father now, than you did to me at—” 

Here Tustenuggee stopped him by an expres¬ 
sive gesture. 

Eoly hardly knew why he stopped, but on the 
whole he thought it best not to explain further 
just then. Something like a sly smile puckered 
Tustenuggee’s visage, but he said nothing. Mr. 
Arrowsmith, seeing that he was expected to ex¬ 
plain, said simply: 

“We are here, because you sent word that 
you wished to see me. Our hearts are full of 
good feeling towards the Seminole. We per¬ 
suaded Billy to come. We gave him the money 
which he gave to you. We knew nothing of this 
murder at Miami, until we met Manatee Zeke 
at New Eiver. Manatee Zeke was the man who 
came to my house ten moons ago, and told me 
that Tustenuggee desired to hold council with 


268 


FLORIDA LADS. 


me concerning a— ” 

Here Tustenuggee interrupted the father, 
much as he had interrupted the son. This time 
he spoke, however, and his countenance grew 
more amiable than it had hitherto been. 

“Enough!” he said, briefly. “It is not hard 
for a Seminole to understand. Is Arrow my 
father’s name?” 

“Arrowsmith. An arrow shoots, a smith 
hammers, among my people. ’’ 

“Good! good! Incah!” Tustenuggee smiled 
broadly now, while the crowd of attentive In- 
rians around began to bend more friendly 
glances on the hitherto suspected whites. “My 
father has a good name. His eye is like an ar¬ 
row, his arm strong like the smith’s.” 

As he spoke, the old chief came forward and 
shook hands heartily with Mr. Arrowsmith; 
then he turned to Roly. He thrust his wizened 
face close to the boy’s and grinned amicably. 

“Something bellows in my ear,” he said, in 
a low tone, as he grasped the lad’s hand. 
“Something very loud—like ’gator. No talk 


FLORIDA LADS. 


269 


about Jupiter. Too much fire-water.” 

Roly suppressed a smile and assured the sen¬ 
sitive old fellow that he would remain dumb on 
that subject, as it was evident that Tustenuggee 
did not wish his people to know that Roly had 
rescued him from a peril into which he had been 
brought, probably through his tampering with 
, the fire-water of the paleface. But he showed 
his appreciation, after shaking hands with Bert, 
by ordering Metacumba and his mother to va¬ 
cate the best cabin in the village and prepare it 
for the occupancy of his white friends. And 
thus the former prisoners were at once installed 
as honored guests, and the best that the village 
afforded was placed at their disposal. All their 
own belongings were scrupulously restored, and 
on the following morning Tustenuggee himself 
paid them an early visit. 


CHAPTER XXV. 

THE GRAND-DAUGHTER OF BOW LEGS. 

The old chief entered alone, and closed the 
door behind him in a cautions way, as if to as¬ 
sure himself that he would be free from outside 
observation. He walked up to Roly and folded 
him in his arms. 

“My son very welcome,” he chuckled. 
“Shoot ’gator. Tustenuggee no forget.” 

He had dropped into the sociable habit of 
clipping his English, though his public and 
more stately utterances in that language 
showed that he was a good master of the white 
man’s dialect. Turning to Mr. Arrowsmith, he 
shook hands cordially with him and Bert, say¬ 
ing: 

“My father did well to come see Tustenug- 

- 270 - 


FLORIDA LADS. 


271 


gee. His heart and his wigwam are open to my 
father. His sons will be great warriors. When 
Manatee Zeke carried my message, I had not 
hoped to see my father here. Incah! It is well 
that he comes, though the hearts of my people 
are sore. Will he take the daughter of my 
heart—the grand-daughter of Bow Legs—and 
make her wise as the white squaws are made 
wise?” 

4 ‘Surely,” replied Mr. Arrowsmith. “It is 
shrewd on your part to wish to give her a bet¬ 
ter education than she would receive here 
among her people. But I should like to see her, 
Tustenugee, that my heart may warm to her be¬ 
fore we go.” 

Privately, he feared that this high descended 
girl might turn out to be some stupid Indian 
maid, whose savage ways and uncouth appear¬ 
ance would prove an insurmountable stumbling- 
block in the way of her moral and mental ele¬ 
vation. 

“She is very young,” resumed Tustenuggee, 
“but she is fair, and she is good. Her mother 


272 


FLORIDA LADS. 


was of the Spanish people, who come from Cuba 
and the far south. Her father was the son of 
Bow Legs. Both have fled to the spirit world, 
and 1 am alone. Tustenuggee has no children. 
She will need to be very wise after I am gone. 
I am glad my father will see to that. Now will 
I show her to my father, though maybe he has 
seen her before. ’ ’ 

Tustenuggee here re-opened the door, thrust 
out his arm, and beckoned to some one who 
must have been in waiting. When he turned 
again, he was leading Nuska by the hand. 

“This,” he said, pointing at her, while she 
stood with eyes demurely lowered—though 
Rolv would have sworn that something like a 
smile twitched at the corners of her pretty 
mouth—“this is the daughter of the son of Bow 
Legs, who was the son of Osceola. Is she not 
worthy of my father’s care?” 

So great was Mr. Arrowsmith’s relief on dis¬ 
covering his fears were groundless that he was 
the more quickly won over to Tustenuggee’s be¬ 
lief in his ward ; s perfections. The old gentle- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


273 


man shook her hand warmly; nor was he uncon¬ 
scious how small and soft it was. Then he pre¬ 
sented his sons to her. But Roly cut short the 
ceremony by saying: 

“Now, father, you can omit some of that. 
Nuska and I have met twice before. Bert has 
seen her once. In fact, we’ve both very good 
reasons to remember her. I, especially.’’ 

And he told the story of his adventure at the 
creek ford and the quicksand, while Bert briefly 
described how Nuska had come to their rescue 
only the day before. 

During this explanation, Nuska stood like a 
beautiful statue. Only her dark, limpid eyes 
occasionally flashed forth in an intelligent 
glance, or upon her lips the suspicion of a smile 
hovered, as if she tolerated rather than ap¬ 
proved of this praise for the sake of promoting 
the general good feeling. 

“Will you go home with us, Nuska?” asked 
Mr. Arrowsmith. “What my sons say only in¬ 
creases the admiration which your presence 
first inspired.” 


274 


FLORIDA LADS. 


“You are very kind to say so,” replied 
Nuska, quietly. “I sliall be glad to go; yet I 
shall be sorry to leave.” 

As she concluded she pressed Tustenuggee’s 
hand, pointing out to him her meaning. The 
old chief thought she was as near perfection as 
the Great Spirit ever allows a woman to be¬ 
come, and his small, hard eyes grew softer in 
expression. Nuska continued: 

“It was my mother’s wish that I should be 
educated. She taught me Spanish and English. 
She has relatives in Cuba. I might go to them, 
but I told my uncle here that I would rather 
learn to be an American. American girls have 
to learn many things. That is why I wanted, 
Tustenuggee to place me with some good white 
family who would be kind to a poor Indian 
girl!” 

“Poor!’ ejaculated the chief, in great scorn. 
“Tustenuggee is not poor. He is a big chief. 
Nuska is the child of a line of chiefs. We also 
have the money of the palefaces—heap— 
plenty.” 


FLORIDA LADS. 


275 


Nuska herself looked more like some semi- 
barbaric princess in sylvan disguise than any¬ 
thing else the boys could think of. Roly solved 
the remaining phases of the situation by saying, 
in his hearty, impulsive way: 

“Well, Nuska, we are awfully glad to have 
you go with us. We are not very well off our¬ 
selves, but we will try to give you a good time, 
and if you’ll only show me where to get hold of 
another pink curlew while we’re here, I’ll take 
you boat-riding when we get to Pilatka. We 
live near there, you know. When those fellows 
captured us, the curlew I shot got spoiled, you 
see, before Bert could mount him. Bert’s some¬ 
thing of a taxidermist, if you know what that 
is.” 

Nuska’s lip curled somewhat at this. 

“If you will go with me, both of you boys, I 
will show you something that will perhaps rec¬ 
oncile you to the loss of your pink curlew. It 
is but a step.” 

As she glided out at the door, followed by 
both the lads, Mr. Arrowsmith turned to Tus- 


276 


FLORIDA LADS. 


tenuggee and earnestly asked: 

“My friend, how is it that the great son of 
Bow Legs happened to secure a Spanish wife? 
I did not know he was ever married until I 
heard it from you.” 

“ Sometimes the daughters of the paleface 
want to marry chief—hig man. Well, no get 
them at home, so they go out and find big war¬ 
rior.” Tustenuggee smiled under a sense of 
warlike superiority as a Seminole. “The 
mother of Nuska saw son of Bow Legs at Key 
West. Key West Spanish town then. Son of 
Bow Legs great warrior. Tall like cabbage 
tree; straight like palm. Have eyes like pan¬ 
ther; ears like deer; feet like eagle wings; 
strong like bear. Nuska’s mother fall in love. 
Bow Legs go to her father’s wigwam; steal her 
away. Come to Tampa; come to Okeechobee. 
Live here. In paleface war have hard time; 
have two children—one boy, one girl. Boy die; 
girl live. When Nuska very small, mother take 
sick. Live long time in house. Teach Nuska 
many things. Make son of Bow Legs promise 


FLORIDA LADS. 


277 


to send Nuska away where she get big learning 
among paleface, Nuska’s mother die; old Bow 
Legs die. Tnstennggee become chief. Son of 
Bow Legs die. Nnska go to Tnstennggee’s wig¬ 
wam—call him father; that is all. Incah!” 

The old fellow clipped his sentences the more 
as he grew the more confidentially earnest. Mr. 
Arrowsmith was mnch impressed. He took the 
old chieftain’s hand. 

“I can now say that I am glad that yon 
picked npon me to carry ont the wishes of 
Nuska’s mother. She evidently was a woman 
of refinement and clear perception, notwith¬ 
standing she did leave her home and friends for 
the son of Bow Legs. I will do the best I can 
for Nnska, and she shall be received as one of 
my own family as long as she chooses to make 
her home among the palefaces.” 

4 ‘Good! Good!” Tnstennggee wrnng the 
other’s hand in his earnestness, for he had been 
of late very solicitons concerning the future of 
his ward. “Tnstennggee pay—what call him? 
—board. Pay well, for Nnska is the daughter 


278 


FLORIDA LADS. 


of a chief. She no marry Indian. Her way is 
the way of her mother. My young men are 
comely, yet her heart walks in the path of her 
mother’s people—your people. When I am 
gone I would want her to be happy. My fath¬ 
er’s words are like sweet songs in my ears. 
Good! We will talk about how much money 
Tustenuggee will have to pay.” 

As Mr. Arrowsmith was really very mod¬ 
erate in his estimates of the cost of the plan 
which resulted in completely Americanizing 
this half Indian princess, their conference was 
not long upon this subject. It was concluded by 
the transfer to Mr. Arrowsmith of a number of 
Spanish doubloons from the chief’s pouch, with 
a definite understanding as to more to come 
from time to time. 

Meanwhile Nuska took the boys to a small 
building, that was a sort of wing in Tustenug- 
gee’s house where Nuska lived. Unlike the rest 
of the cabins, it was built of lumber and had 
glass windows. There were two rooms, one of 
which was probably the girl’s private apart- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


279 


ment. The other, into which she ushered the 
boys, contained a book-case, with volumes, both 
in Spanish and English, together with sundry 
feminine keepsakes, such as had belonged to her 
mother. There were also glass cases about, 
wherein was a collection of curious birds and 
small, wild animals, mounted in a way that de¬ 
lighted Bert. Matting was on the floor, and, 
taken altogether, the place looked very cozy 
and charming. Nuska pointed to three pink 
curlew plumes hanging from the wall, one each 
of which she gravely presented to the boys, who 
were, of course, extremely pleased to secure 
thus easily and unexpectedly one of the princi¬ 
pal objects which had drawn them so far into 
the everglades. 

While they were examining the trophies and 
chatting sociably together, like old acquaint¬ 
ances, Tustenuggee and their father entered, 
and the conversation became general for a time. 
As at last they returned to the open air, Billy 
Keywest was seen going by with his Winchester 
on his arm. Billy was now dressed in full 


280 


FLORIDA LADS. 


Seminole fashion, hunting shirt, leggings, tur¬ 
ban and all. Tustenuggee looked at him se¬ 
verely. Mr. Arrowsmith noticed the frown that 
gathered on the old man’s brow. He deter¬ 
mined to speak a good word for the young 
Seminole, as the latter approached, diffidently 
enough, for Tustenuggee was a chief to be 
dreaded, as we]l as respected. 

“Billy is a good man,” said Mr. Arrowsmith. 
“We like him very much. *See, I have given 
him my many-shooting-gun. Let Tustenuggee 
smile on him, and he will be happy.” 

The old chief looked at the rifle, and nodded 
approvingly. 

And so Billy was received hack into favor. 

After that, nothing was too good for the Ar- 
rowsmiths in Tustenuggee’s eyes. They re¬ 
mained over the next day and witnessed the 
great annual Sugar-cane Dance. Nuska led the 
Seminole maidens in a preliminary figure or 
two, with infinite grace and spirit. Under the 
general state of good feeling that ensued, even 
Metacumha was restored to favor, and took the 


FLORIDA LADS. 


281 


leading part m a final dance of the warriors 
with vigor, and mnch expenditure of lung 
power. 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

HOME AGAIN. 

It was determined to allow Bay a and Man¬ 
atee Zeke to return, by way of the coast, in the 
Curlew by themselves, as Tustenuggee now in¬ 
sisted upon personally escorting his niece and 
ward to the nearest town on Kissimmee River. 
Of course he invited the Arrowsmiths, who 
could not well refuse. 

Accordingly, on the third morning of their 
stay in the Seminole village, three large canoes 
started northward, along the east shore of Lake 
Okeechobee, paddled by the eighteen stout war¬ 
riors, all tricked out in their peace finery. The 
good feeling engendered toward the Arrow- 
smiths seemed to have allayed completely the 
discontented war spirit that had arisen after 

- 282 - 


FLORIDA LADS. 


283 


the Miami affair, and the parting good-byes of 
those left behind were cordial and sincere. Con¬ 
cerning the departure of Nuska, the regret was 
deep. It was even tearfully manifested on the 
part of some of the women. 

That young lady, together with Tustenugee 
and two or three civilized trunks containing her 
personal belongings, were with Mr. Arrow- 
smith in the foremost canoe, which also had 
four vigorous paddlers. She waved her hand¬ 
kerchief as long as she could distinguish her 
dusky friends, then partook of the luxury of a 
quiet “cry,” after the fashion of warm-hearted 
girls the world over, from the beginning of hu¬ 
man history. 

The boys, in the second canoe, thought she 
looked more charming than ever, and both 
wished they were where their father was seated, 
comfortably chatting with the chief. 

“I don’t wonder old Tustenuggee hates to 
give her up,” said Roly. “He is a conscientious 
old fellow, if he doesn’t use soap.” 

The third canoe held twelve warriors, who 


284 


FLORIDA LADS. 


accompanied their chief and the daughter of a 
chief solely as a guard of honor. The weather 
fortunately remained fine, and two days later 
they all arrived at old Fort Bassinger, where 
was a stage line recently established between 
there and Kissimmee City, which at that period 
was the new terminus of the only railroad then 
reaching toward the wilds of south Florida. 
Here Tilstenuggee bade his ward farewell. 

When the time for parting came, Billy Key- 
west was presented by Roly with a brand-new 
turban of flaming yellow, which the lad had 
found at the single store of the place. The 
Seminole’s dudish proclivities rendered him 
keenly grateful. He gave Roly a parting em¬ 
brace, though with the rest he only shook hands. 

Tustenuggee gravely bade his white friends 
good-by. His wizened, immobile countenance 
never changed, even as he told Mr. Arrowsmith 
that he was leaving not only the pride of the 
Seminoles, but his own heart’s joy in the care 
of a paleface. When he turned at last to Nuska, 
his small eyes were nearly closed, yet their nar- 


FLORIDA LADS. 


285 


row pupils glistened from beneath his grizzled 
brows amid a forest of wrinkles. Bert averred 
that a tear or two*lost themselves somewhere in 
the many furrows below, but that is as it may. 
As for Nuska, after a final heroic effort at self- 
restraint, she burst into tears, and hung upon 
her guardian’s neck, regardless of his wrinkles 
and very evident need of a bath, and conscious 
only that she was parting from one who loved 
her well. 

Roly, ever impressible, turned away, hastily 
whipping out his own handkerchief. It would 
never do for Bert to catch him on the verge of a 
gulping sob. Then something fell from his 
pocket that created a less emotional outlet for 
his feelings. It was the hawk’s foot which Tus- 
tenuggee had given the boy after the alligator 
episode at Jupiter. 

“By George!” he exclaimed, turning to Bert, 
as he picked up the Seminole charm. “I had 
forgotten that I had the thing. We might have 
tested its virtues on those Indians before the 
chief came home.” 


286 


FLORIDA LADS. 


He held it up so that Tustenuggee could see, 
as that old man gently but firmly resigned 
Nuska into Mr. Arrowsmith’s hands. The chief 
looked pleased. 

4 4 Incah! Good medicine!’ ’ he said. 44 White 
boy lose um—bring had luck. Keep urn— 
bring good luck.” 

Having completed his farewells, the chief 
drew himself up, and suppressed a sigh. 

4 4 Once every twelve moons, when the Semi- 
noles dance the Green-corn Dance, Tustenuggee 
will he here with his chosen young men. Nuska 
will remember that her father’s heart is empty 
till he sees her again. She will come. I have 
spoken. Billy, let us go.” 

He drew his blanket around him as an old 
Roman might have wrapped himself in his toga, 
and stalked sombrely away, followed by Billy, 
bearing, not only the yellow turban, but his 
precious Winchester. One glance only did Billy 
cast behind him as they went away. This was 
at Roly, who averred that Billy winked at him, 
but this might have been only one of Roly’s 



They might have been 
overtaken by a young girl on 
horseback who galloped from a bylane at a 
speed that caused her nearly to run into a young officer 

(Page 291) 






* 

A 


■ 









# 











FLORIDA LADS. 


287 


jokes. Mr. Arrowsmith led Nuska to the stage 
which was waiting before the store. 

"I know that yon feel sad, Nuska,’’ said he, 
with great kindness of manner. “It is natural; 
but when you can think of us at all, try to be¬ 
lieve that in me you have another father, and in 
my boys you have brothers who will always 
love you—yes, fight for you if necessary.” 

Nuska said nothing, yet she pressed the good 
old gentleman’s hand. 

Two days ]ater they ate their Thanksgiving 
dinner at Mr. Arrowsmith’s house. In Nuska’s 
trunks, to the wonder of her friends, was a very 
appropriate outfit for a civilized young lady, 
provided somehow through Tustenuggee’s 
liberality and her own foresight. With this aid, 
her appearance was so generally satisfactory 
as to surprise even Mrs. Arrowsmith. 

“Well, I declare!” said that good, motherly 
soul to her husband, as Nuska and the boys 
strolled out to look at the orange grove, “that 
girl is a gratifying surprise in every way. Do 
you think there is much Seminole about her, 


288 FLORIDA LADS, 

after all ? ’ ’ 

“Something of the Seminole and something 
of the Spaniard, perhaps,” replied Mr, Arrow- 
smith. “But we must see to it that she soon 
becomes all American.” 


[the end.] 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS? 


“It is my duty, Susannah,” exclaimed the 
aged rector doggedly. “Duty, my child, duty!” 

“These people threaten your very life, sir,” 
cautioned the daughter. “Even Burgess Sul- 
grave said, before he went oft, that your loyalty 
was a danger to you that might grow serious. ’ ’ 
“Hand me the pistol, then, mistress. In 
God’s name I will go forth. If the sons of 
Belial threaten me with outrage, I will remem¬ 
ber I am the King’s servant.” 

“And God’s. Captain Sulgrave— ” 

“Prut, trut! Burgess is like the others, es¬ 
pecially since his uncle, George Fairfax, ran 
away to England. See that he maketh not thee 
a rebel like himself. I could hardly abide 
that—yet.” 


—289— 



290 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


Smiling lovingly, even amid his busy work, 
Parson Eeling made his daughter tuck the 
weapon under the broad skirts of his riding 
cloak, patted her anxious brow with his disen¬ 
gaged hand and rode away towards Quantico 
Church, where for thirty years or more he had 
faithfully prayed for church and king; and un¬ 
til lately for governor and council, as the loyal 
clergy of Virginia were wont to do for a cen¬ 
tury or more. 

And wherefore not! Was not King George 
their ecclesiastical head, their pay-master, their 
authority! True, of late (it was the winter of 
1776-77), not only had a so-called Congress at 
Philadelphia done strange things, but a wicked 
legislature at Williamsburg had just repealed 
all laws constraining men in religious matters. 
At a pen-stroke the whole colonial system of 
tenths and tithings was swept away; even glebe 
land tithes had been called in question. Hor¬ 
rible ! 

No wonder the established clergy grew timid 
or desperate, as chance or temperament befell. 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


291 


For a man like Edgar Eeling to be leveled with 
a common Baptist or Methodist exhorter, even 
socially, was bad enough; but legally, finan¬ 
cially—why, how many years was it since in¬ 
truding dissenters had lain in Fredericksburg 
Jail for preaching their forbidden doctrines? 
And now—the parson shuddered—times were 
indeed changed, that a man like himself must 
deem it necessary to go armed to his own church 
in order to pray for his sovereign. 

He was no “ timeserver, ’ ’ he told himself, 
like too many of his neighbors, Mr. Washing¬ 
ton of Mt. Vernon, for instance. What would 
my Lord Fairfax think of his former protege 
now with Howe and Cornwallis chasing him 
through the Jerseys after thrashing him away 
from New York? By all accounts the Ameri¬ 
cans would lose Philadelphia next, and Con¬ 
gress, too, it was to be hoped. Therefore on 
this, the first Sunday of the new year, the Rev. 
Edgar Eeling resolved that his part in trounc¬ 
ing rebellion should be to publicly uphold the 
royal authority in Quantico Church. 


292 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


But, though he was unyielding, his parish 
was turbulently patriotic and exacting. As he 
rode on, straggling groups of country people, 
mostly white, dotted the Acquia Pike, and 
glanced askant as he ceremoniously waved his 
hand. Not a woman, however, was in sight. 
Stopping at his clerk’s house, that functionary 
seemed strangely reluctant. 

“There will he trouble to day, sir,” said 
Jared Shaw. “I hear things that hardly come 
to your ears. Folks say, it is bad enough for 
Washington to he licked by the British with¬ 
out having the fact rubbed in from the pulpit 
right here at home. ’ ’ 

“ All the more reason we should show a bold 
front, my friends. His Majesty’s generals 
need sympathy as well as the rebels, and where 
can it be better shown than by the church? 
Come, come. We must not he late.” 

It is doubtful if mere reasoning would have 
overcome Jared’s reluctance, for he was more 
clearly aware of the hitter extent of parish feel¬ 
ing against so rigid a loyalist as the rector had 


/ 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


293 


long shown himself to be. Bnt the parson was 
the clerk’s paymaster, so he mounted and fol¬ 
lowed on. 

“Suppose we take the Colchester road, sir,” 
he suggested. “It’s shorter, and we will hardly 
meet so many people.” 

“Take it in God’s name, if you are in fear, 
Jared,” said the rector. “I prefer my usual 
route—the pike.” 

And so, on the whole, did Shaw; though he 
lagged somewhat behind his superior when 
malevolent looks from passing groups indi¬ 
cated not only the parson’s unpopularity, but 
some possible unfriendly design. There were 
loyalists about, but toryism at that time in the 
Northern Neck of Virginia sat close at home, 
always excepting the Rev. Edgar Eeling and a 
few others. 

Yet, had they dallied along the Colchester 
road as slowly as Jared’s fear would have 
prompted, they might have been overtaken by 
a young girl on horseback, hastily though fash¬ 
ionably garbed, and who galloped from a by- 


294 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


lane at a speed that caused her nearly to run 
into a young officer in a mud-splashed Conti¬ 
nental uniform, and who, with one arm in a 
sling, was spurring in the opposite direction. 

‘ 4 Mistress Susan!” 

4 ‘ Captain Sulgrave!’ ’ 

The mutual exclamations were not more in 
surprise than delight; on his part even raptur¬ 
ous; on hers more quietly expressed, yet not 
less manifest in the rich color that made her 
pale, anxious face momentarily radiant. 

“You must be wounded,’’ she added. “Has 
there been a battle?” 

“Yes, dearest.” He had doffed his hat and 
looked as if he would kiss her on slight encour¬ 
agement. “Being disabled in my sword arm, 
the general was good enough to send me to 
Williamsburg with dispatches to Governor 
Henry. I hardly hoped to see you until my re¬ 
turn, as my instructions were to hurry. Oh, the 
mud! ” He glanced apologetically at his soiled 
buff and blue regimentals, with their faded sil¬ 
ver trimmings. “Are you on your way to 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


295 


church V ’ 

“Father bade me remain at home, but I 
could not, and started over to see if the 
Masons would not take me with them. Hardly 
any of our friends attend church now, for fear 
of trouble, but I might persuade them to go to¬ 
day.” 

“Why to-day, more than any other Sun¬ 
day?” 

“Father will go through with all the old 
forms, and the people are greatly enraged. 
Our negro has told me that if he read prayers 
for King instead of Congress to-day, violence 
would be done him. You know how father is— 
too old and—and loyal to feel that he ought to 
do differently.” 

“I saw George Mason at Alexandria last 
night. I don’t think the family are at home.” 
Then noting her distress. “My place is with 
you,” he exclaimed, with an air of sudden re¬ 
solve. “You cannot help your father’s ob¬ 
stinacy. He is at least consistent, and that is 
more than many are now.” 


296 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


“But your dispatches, Burgess.” 

‘ ‘ They can wait for an hour. I am wounded 
and I have to rest—don’t you see?” He 
laughed so gaily over this excuse that she had 
to join him, and he squeezed her hand, dropping 
his reins to do so. “I will take a fresh horse at 
Falmouth and make it up. Even my presence 
may do some good.” 

In the case of these two it was plain that love 
had reconciled the apparently irreconcilable. 
What did the royalist’s daughter and the young 
Continental Life Guardsman care just then 
about the abstract rights or wrongs of toryism 
and rebellion? So they rode along, side by side 
—she making inquiries as to his wound; how 
he got it? and was it painful? hardly thinking 
of the general result of the fight—when a splash 
of hoofs and wheels along the road made them 
aware that a shabby old coach and four, with 
negro servants in rusty mud-splashed liveries, 
was approaching. As they drew to one side an 
old lady in a lavender bonnet peered sharply 
from the carriage window, at sight of whom 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


297 


Captain Burgess Sulgrave again dropped his 
bridle rein, doffed his cocked hat and bowed 
very low indeed. 

“Isn't that Susannah Eeling?" she de¬ 
manded. “And who are you, sir? Eh—what 
—Burgy Sulgrave? Stop, Jehu!" to her 
driver; then, eying the young couple question¬ 
ably : ‘ ‘ What are you doing so far from the 
army—eh?—wounded?—dear, dear!" 

“She is the very one to assist us," exclaimed 
Sulgrave to Susannah. “The very—" 

“The what?" interrupted the old woman, 
drawing her bushy eyebrows into converging 
wrinkles, then expanding her forehead until her 
turbanned bonnet lifted. “How came you to 
leave my son? My daughter wrote that this 
new man, Charley Lee, was in many men's 
mouths, and that there,were plots." 

“General Lee, ma'am, was not taken seri¬ 
ously outside of a certain clique. But it was 
thought necessary that I, being disabled, should 
go to Virginia with these important tidings and 
also see the governor." 


298 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


“Is there more news! Well, well; yes, yes. 
I know Charley Lee—a self-conceited puppy— 
yes, Burgy, a puppy. I said so when he came 
to us at Fredericksburg before George left for 
the North.’ ’ 

Meantime, Sulgrave had dismounted and 
leading Miss Eeling close to the carriage, he 
rapidly explained the situation, supplementing 
it with certain earnest, yet respectful, entrea¬ 
ties on his own part, which Miss Susan seconded 
by looking* distractingly pretty and pathetic. 
The inmate of the carriage pursed her lips, 
puckered her sharply darting eyes, nodded and 
grunted dubiously, glanced at the wintry sun 
and finally gave way. 

“Well, it is my old church,’’ she said. “Get 
in here, Susannah; you, too, Burgy. The ne¬ 
groes will lead your horses. I remember Ned 
Eeling when old Lord Fairfax brought him 
over. That was before Bobby Dinwiddie’s 
time, my dear. Your father was fresh from Ox¬ 
ford then, and the first time he stood up to read 
prayers in Quantico Church his cheeks were as 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


299 


fresh as yours. Pity he is. such a fool about 
some things yet. What good does praying for 
King George do now?” 

“He says he is too old to change,” began 
Susan, mildly. 

“Tchah!” interrupted the old lady, glancing 
approvingly at the young couple now seated 
opposite. “It is a good thing you are not, 
mistress. Let me tell you there are worse things 
than to have a rebel lover; one just now is to 
he keeping a stupid Tory father out of 
scrapes.” 

“Now, dear grand aunt,” remonstrated Sul- 
grave, noting Susannah’s embarrassment. 
“Miss Eeling hardly deserves—” 

“Well, well. No more of it, then. Now, 
while we are on the way, tell me all the latest 
news. If I am to tarry on my journey, to oblige 
you two, I must hear the latest news from 
the Jerseys. Our last dispatches were bad 
enough. Congress adjourned to meet at Balti¬ 
more, Charley Lee taken—at!—there was small 
loss. We also heard that George was in Penn- 


300 


FOR KINO OR CONGRESS. 


sylvania. ’ ’ 

“Ah, madam,’’ cried Sulgrave, “'I bring 
later news.” 

And while the carriage wallowed on through 
the red Staffordshire mud, with the young 
folks inside, one of the servants mounted Sul- 
grave’s horse and followed, leading the other. 

####### 

By the time Parson Eeling and his clerk ar- 
rived, the church was well filled with an array 
of wool stockinged, plain clad country people, 
mostly of the lower and middle class whites, 
who filled the old planters’ family pews and 
rear benches, and scowled at the parson as he 
emerged in his cassock from the vestry room. 
The old country families were absent either 
through sympathy with the patriots or fear of 
them. Not a woman was present; an ominous 
sign in itself, but on a back seat one man boldly 
nursed a sack of feathers and another sat be¬ 
side a bucket of tar. Outside an open window 
a long rail was significantly uplifted, all these 
bringing to mind the midnight barn burnings 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


301 


and stock mutilations which had, before this, 
been visited npon the property of sundry stub¬ 
born loyalists on the Northern neck. 

But the aged parson, eying his hostile parish¬ 
ioners calmly through his glasses, began to read 
the service at the usual hour with the then cus¬ 
tomary ceremonies: 

“The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the 
earth keep silence before Him.” 

No one rose at the exhortation, nor did any¬ 
one kneel after the confession, save himself and 
the clerk. Shaw’s response grew more falter¬ 
ing as his nervousness, at sight of so many sul¬ 
lenly or jeeringly hostile faces, increased. As 
the liturgy progressed toward the crucial point 
the general expectancy, to the clerk, seemed to 
grow fierce and exulting. Bert Crosly patted 
the tar bucket; Jim Lory caressed the feather 
sack, each leering at Shack Mannion, another 
ringleader, who leaned out at a window in 
loudly whispered communings with the rail 
bearers outside. But, though Shaw’s voice 
dwindled to a quaver, the stout-hearted old tory 


302 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


over his head, apparently,* had neither eye, ear, 
nor tongue save for the service in hand. Had 
he been in St. Paul’s, London, instead of in St. 
PanPs, Quantico Parish, Virginia, his tones 
would have been no firmer nor his manner more 
impressive. 

As the creed terminated and the preliminary 
exhortation to prayer began, a rumble and 
trampling along the pike rolled, wavelike into 
the little grove before the church. 

“Let us pray!’’ solemnly continued the 
clergyman. 

A sybilant indrawing of the breath ran 
through the congregation, and men’s faces indi¬ 
cated that a crisis was now at hand. Shack 
Mannion, leaning out of the window, asked: 

4 AVho’s coming, Sam?” in his loudest whis¬ 
per; then, noticing the approaching coach: 
“you fellows have that rail ready—d’you hear? 
If he prays for King ’stead of Congress, we’ll 
show ’em how to ride one danged old Tory 
out’n Quantico Parish.” 

“Rot him! yes,” assented some one from the 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


303 


back benches. “And for fear he’ll catch cold 
we’ll wrap him np in a bran new suit, war¬ 
ranted to fit and—stick.” 

The open chuckles that saluted this allusion 
to tar and feathers mingled strangely with the 
preacher’s firm, solemn accents. 

“0 Lord be gracious unto Thy people!” 

“And bless thine inheritance,” quavered the 
clerk, meekly. 

Up swung the ancient family coach at a lum¬ 
bering trot. The clatter and bang grew sq 
loud as to attract general attention from the 
pulpit to the door. Who could it be ? 

“0 Lord show Thy mercy upon us!” 

The old parson droned the words, seemingly 
unconscious of all outward things save the act 
of divine worship. 

No response now from the desk below, for 
Shaw with others had heard the carriage steps 
let down and was gazing open-mouthed at 
those now entering the church. Two servants 
ranged themselves on either side the door, and 
between them marched a bent old woman in 


304 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


semi-Quakerish garb of lavender and gray, 
leaning on an ivory-headed staff and accom¬ 
panied by Susannah Eeling. Behind them came 
an officer in the well-known uniform of Wash¬ 
ington’s Life Guards, bearing a prayer-book in 
his well arm, while nursing the other in a sling. 

Frowning right and left, the old lady halted 
at the entrance of an ancient family pew, bear¬ 
ing the name of “Ball” on a tarnished plate, 
and stood waiting for the occupants to vacate, 
which they did sheepishly. 

“Mother Washington, by Harry!” whis¬ 
pered Shack Mannion, eying the old woman’s 
Romanesque features as if under some paraly¬ 
zing hypnotic influence. 

The rail, tar pail and feather sack disap¬ 
peared as if by magic, and the new arrivals 
joined in the devotions with a devout precision 
that braced up Mr. Shaw wonderfully. The un¬ 
conscience audacity of Mannion’s scared ex¬ 
clamation was a fair gauge of the effect upon 
the would-be rioters. Parson Eeling, waiting 
decorously, suffered none of the surprise he 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


305 


doubtless felt to appear in bis face. 

At length the old rector resumed the service: 

‘ ‘ 0 Lord show Thy mercy upon us!” 

“And grant us thy salvation,’’ responded the 
old lady loudly, while Miss Eeling and Sulgrave 
knelt, and Shaw’s “amens” became really im¬ 
pressive. 

Beyond a general slight movement, as the 
men glanced at the Ball pew, then looked at 
each other, the rest of the congregation sat si¬ 
lent and sullen. That aged and honored pres¬ 
ence tied the hand of actual outrage as with in¬ 
visible bands of steel. 

“0 LORD! SAVE THE KING!” said Par¬ 
son Eeling staring blandly at his auditors over 
the top of his book. 

“And mercifully hear us,” came from the old 
Ball pew in measured unison, led by the mother 
of a future first President, and whose firm nose 
and bushy eye seemed to propel the response 
around the church, as if challenging hostile in¬ 
terruption. 

“That settles me!” muttered the man with 


306 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


the tar bucket. 

“If she can stand that,” said Jim Long, “I 
am going to get out.” This was after the min¬ 
ister had begun the final prayer for church and 
royal family. 

“Are we going to let old Eeling clean off!” 
grumbled Shack. 

“If he prays for Beelzebub and brimstone, 
what can we do ’long as she not only stays but 
joins in,” retorted the man, savagely. “Yes- 
sir-ee! Actilly joins in! I never could ha’ be¬ 
lieved it. Wha’ d ’you reckon the general would 
say!” 

And so the comment went on in whispers. 
But, however great the dissatisfaction, even 
more solicitous seemed to be the wish to conceal 
it from good “Mother Washington,” as they 
affectionately called her. Yet after the ser¬ 
mon and they were filing out, someone ventured 
to say they “never ’lowed to hear Mistress 
Washington prayin’ for King George again.” 

“Why not!” said the aged matron over¬ 
hearing, then shaking her staff at the abashed 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


307 


speaker. “Shame on yon all! If King Georgie 
ever needed praying for he does now. Go out 
and read the news.” 

Pointing at a printed placard which Sul- 
grave was attaching to a pillar in the portico, 
announcing the first tidings of the victory at 
Trenton and the capture of the hated Hessians. 

“I only hope these stay-at-home patriots will 
be as faithful to our cause as you, reverend sir, 
are to yours.” This to the parson, to whose 
grateful handclasp she resigned three knuckly 
fingers as his face recalled the past. “I quite 
remember you, when as a girl I looked up at 
you from this same pew that still hears my 
father’s name. Lack-a-day! How we change! ’ ’ 

But the rector was reading the placard; 
then he looked at the young life-guardsman 
and his daughter, and fell into a deeper sad¬ 
ness. 

“They love each other, cousin,” whispered 
Mother Washington. “Come, man, we are 
slightly akin, and I may be free of speech. 
Courage is one thing, obstinacy another, yet 


308 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


God is always good. I must go on my way, but 
I would have you make Susannah comfortable 
with a word! Captain Sulgrave is a fine lad, 
and his Uncle Fairfax will practically give him 
Belvoir. It was to make the young fools less 
miserable more than to save you in your hard¬ 
heartedness that I allowed them to bring me 
hither. I thought if you saw George’s mother 
praying for the King in the hour of the King’s 
defeat, our people’s forbearance might lead 
you in turn to forbear also.” 

“We will have a long and bloody war,” 
sighed the rector. “I see it now. I yield—not 
to conviction perhaps—but to the logic of 
events. As far as I am concerned this church 
is now closed. I cannot yet pray for Congress, 
Madam, but—” his eyes rested more content¬ 
edly on the lovers. 

“Susannah!” he called aloud, “can we not 
persuade Mistress Washington and Burgess 
Sulgrave home to dinner ? ’ ’ 

By this time the grove outside was ringing 
with shouts over the news; and while men threw 


FOR KING OR CONGRESS. 


309 


up their hats like lunatics, Captain Sulgrave 
enrolled a number of recruits on the spot. On 
the way home with his guests, Parson Eeling 
positively flung his pistol into Quantico Creek, 
where a young Burgess Sulgrave, Susannah's 
oldest boy, found it several years after York- 
town. Among his descendants it is still treas¬ 
ured as a Revolutionary curio, captured pre¬ 
sumably from those famous old bushwhackers 
Tarleton's troopers, when on one of their final 
Virginia raids. 





















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